Boy, 12, Dies In Sleep After Neighbouring House Collapses In Thane

A 12-year-old boy was killed and two members of his family were injured after a portion of an old house collapsed in Maharashtra's Thane.

The incident occurred at around 3:35 pm on Friday at Madras Chawl in Azad Nagar, Brahmand, and triggered a rescue operation.

According to officials, the ground-plus-one-storey structure involved in the incident was around 25 to 30 years old.

Preliminary information suggested that a section of the building's gallery gave way and crashed onto a neighbouring house, where family members were asleep at the time. 

Jaykumar Jaiswal, 12, suffered critical injuries in the accident and was immediately taken to the Civil Hospital. However, doctors declared him dead before treatment could begin.

"A portion of this structure's gallery suddenly collapsed onto an adjacent house where three members of a family were sleeping. Jaykumar Jaiswal (12) sustained severe injuries and was rushed to civil hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival," an official said, news agency PTI reported.

Two others injured in the incident were identified as 35-year-old Urmila Jaiswal and 9-year-old Vinit Jaiswal. Both sustained head injuries and were admitted to Titan Hospital in Manpada, where they are undergoing treatment.

"Three adjacent houses within Madras Chawl have been vacated as a precautionary measure. Further structural assessments and clearing operations are currently being carried out by the Majiwada Ward Committee, Public Works Department (PWD), and the Encroachment Department," the official said, according to PTI.

Emergency teams rushed to the spot soon after the collapse was reported. The operation involved two fire engines, a rescue vehicle, a disaster management utility vehicle and an ambulance.

(With inputs from Rizwan Sheikh)