Mumbai: Fourteen people died and seventy-four people were injured in Mumbai after a 100-foot tall billboard at a petrol station collapsed in the aftermath of a massive dust storm that shrouded the city for over two hours.
According to reports, a large hoarding for advertisements, erected by a private party, crashed in the gusty winds on several houses and a petrol pump in Pant Nagar, Ghatkopar East suburb, around 4.15 p.m.
NDRF said, "A total of 88 people were rescued, of whom 14 were declared dead by doctors and 31 were discharged."
Several got trapped under the hoarding as many vehicles had queued up to refill petrol and diesel.
After the hoarding collapse incident, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rushed the spot to rescue the people trapped under the rubble.
The hoarding was listed in the Limca Book of Records last year. The BMC says it was illegal, unauthorised.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde rushed to the tragedy spot, inquired about the rescue operations, and ordered BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani and Mumbai Police to conduct a probe into the tragedy.
"I have also ordered the BMC authorities to carry out a special audit of all the hoardings in Mumbai and remove all the illegal ones from the city," Shinde told mediapersons while announcing an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakhs to the kin of the deceased.
The BMC has issued a warning of a thunderstorm likely to hit parts of Mumbai with strong winds of 50–60 kmph later tonight and advised citizens to exercise precautions while stepping out.
