At least eight people died after a portion of a four-storey residential building collapsed in Maharashtra's Thane district late on Thursday night. Rescue teams continued searching through the rubble on Friday, fearing that more people remained trapped beneath the debris.

The incident took place at the Kohinoor Building in Balaji Nagar, Gangaram Wada, in Bhiwandi. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Bhiwandi Fire Brigade launched a large-scale rescue operation soon after the collapse.

Eight Bodies Recovered, More People Feared Trapped

By 9 am on Friday, rescue workers had recovered eight bodies from the debris. According to officials, around 11 people were believed to be trapped after the collapse. Authorities fear that additional victims may still be buried under the rubble.

Nitin Chavan, Fire Officer of the Bhiwandi Fire Brigade, said local residents informed rescue teams that six occupants of the building and five workers carrying out repair work were missing.

“According to local residents, six occupants of the building and five workers carrying out repair work were reported missing. So far, we have recovered eight bodies from the debris, and there is a possibility that more bodies may still be trapped underneath. Rescue operations are ongoing. The bodies have been sent to IGM hospital and the identification of the workers couldn’t be done not yet.”

Building Had Already Been Declared Unsafe

Fire officials said the four-storey Kohinoor Building had previously been declared dangerous by the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC).

Despite being classified as unsafe, repair work was underway inside the building when part of the structure collapsed. The building had 48 rooms, with 12 rooms on each floor.

Residents Heard Cracking Sounds Before Collapse

Preliminary information suggests that residents heard loud cracking noises between 8 pm and 9 pm. After sensing danger, local residents helped evacuate several families from the building.

However, between 11 pm and 11:30 pm, part of the building's B Wing suddenly collapsed while some residents and repair workers were still inside. Others were trying to leave the building when the structure gave way.

Rescue Teams Continue Search Operation

Officials believe more people may still be trapped under the debris. Among those initially reported missing are Shamji Pal, 46, Santosh Pandey alias Munna, 42, Miraj Sheikh, 35, and several repair workers whose identities have not yet been confirmed.

Personnel from the Bhiwandi Fire Brigade, NDRF and Bhoiwada Police Station rushed to the site immediately after the incident.

Sniffer Dogs, Ambulances and Heavy Machinery Deployed

According to the Thane Collectorate, rescue teams are using trained sniffer dogs to search for survivors beneath the rubble. Authorities have also deployed two ambulances and a JCB excavator to speed up rescue efforts.

Officials said search operations and administrative procedures are continuing. The exact cause of the building collapse has not yet been officially confirmed.