Worker killed in demolition of unsafe Mumbai building

A labourer was killed when a fire-ravaged, dilapidated four-storied building was being demolished in south Mumbai on Friday, the BMC Disaster Control said.

The incident occurred when a private contractor's workers were razing the Sayyad Building, near Nagdevi Street, after it had caught fire on August 3 and remained ablaze for nearly two days.

Since the building was made of wood, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority ordered it to be brought down.

The accident on Friday occurred around 5 p.m. when the demolition work was underway, trapping five labourers.

While three were rescued, one was killed and one has been admitted to the Sir J. J. Hospital with severe head injuries.

On August 3, a major fire had engulfed the ground floor of building, but was confined mainly to electrical fittings and appliances. While several people were rescued from there, firemen battled the blaze for nearly two days before it was extinguished. IANS