Mumbai: Panic gripped residents of a housing society in Nalasopara East on Friday evening after a four-storey building developed a tilt, prompting authorities to evacuate all occupants amid fears of a collapse.The incident took place around 6pm at Durgeshwari Apartment in Om Nagar. Residents noticed that the ageing building had tilted to one side and alerted the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC). Fire brigade personnel rushed to the spot and launched an evacuation operation after assessing the structure as potentially unsafe.The rescue operation lasted for nearly an hour, during which all residents were safely evacuated. The surrounding area was also cordoned off as a precaution. No injuries were reported.Chief Fire Officer Rohan More of VVCMC said the building is old and nearly half of its residents had already vacated their flats due to its deteriorating condition. “Considering the ongoing monsoon and the possibility of the structure becoming more unstable, we decided to evacuate the remaining occupants as a precautionary measure,” More said.He added that a structural audit would determine whether the building is fit for habitation. “Our preliminary inspection revealed extensive plaster damage and multiple cracks at several locations in the structure. Until the structural audit is completed, it cannot be declared safe for occupancy,” he said.The evacuated residents have been shifted to a municipal relief shelter, where arrangements for accommodation, food and other essential facilities have been made, officials said.
