Building collapse in Palghar: Death toll rises to 15

Palghar, Aug 28 (PTI) The death toll in the collapse of a building at Virar in Maharashtra's Palghar district has gone up to 15 with the recovery of three more bodies overnight, officials said on Thursday.

The unauthorised four-storey building, housing nearly 50 flats, collapsed on an adjacent vacant tenement at Vijay Nagar in Virar area at 12.05 am on Wednesday, they said.

A one-year-old girl's birthday party was underway on the fourth floor when 12 flats in a wing of the building collapsed, trapping residents and guests under the debris, as per eyewitnesses.

Palghar District Collector Dr Indu Rani Jakhar on Thursday morning confirmed that the death toll in the incident has gone up to 15.

The work of clearing the debris by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other rescue teams will continue to ensure no other person was trapped under the rubble, she told PTI. PTI COR GK