Mumbai: Fourteen people were killed and at least 60 injured after a billboard collapsed during a fierce storm in Mumbai, officials said Monday.
The billboard was opposite the fuel station. Visuals show the structure crashing down right in the middle of the refuelling facility. The civic authorities are looking into whether the billboard advertisement agency had permission to install the structure.
The metal frame of the billboard tore through the roof of several cars that were at the fuel station.
“I was there when a big hoarding of some builder fell down. All the cars, bikes and people that were there got stuck. We helped people get out and somehow manage to escape,” an eyewitness, Swapnil Khupte, told media.
The police said teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are at the site, and are looking for survivors trapped under the debris.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said rescuing people is the priority, and the government will take care of treatment of those who were injured. “Rs 5 lakh will be given to the family of those who have lost their lives. I have directed the authorities concerned to check all such hoardings in Mumbai,” Mr Shinde said.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in a post on X said the state government has ordered an investigation into the incident after he visited and inspected the site.
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