In an extraordinary display of bravery, over 300 personnel from the fire brigade, police, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been engaged in a massive rescue operation at Ghatkopar, where a colossal hoarding collapsed on a petrol pump, resulting in the tragic loss of 16 lives so far.
The incident, which occurred at around 4:10 pm on May 13, was triggered by unexpected rain and a dust storm, causing the 120×120-foot billboard, reputed to be the largest in Asia, to come crashing down on the Bharat Petroleum pump on the Eastern Express Highway. The sudden weather change led motorists and bikers to seek shelter at the pump, leading to around 120-130 people being trapped under the debris. Among them, some managed to contact relatives and friends for help, prompting a swift response from the fire brigade and police who arrived at the scene to initiate rescue operations. Following expert advice, the fire brigade and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) opted to lift the hoarding using a crane as the initial step in the rescue efforts. A 200-tonne crane arrived at the site around 7 pm but proved inadequate for the task. Subsequently, Mumbai police reached out to Amrik Singh & Sons Crane Services in Chembur, which provided a 500-tonne crane. Despite initial setbacks, the crane operator managed to temporarily lift the hoarding, allowing 60-70 trapped individuals to escape. During this attempt, 14 bodies were recovered from the debris.
The enormity of the hoarding, estimated to weigh around 120 tonnes, posed significant challenges. Fire brigade officials and BMC decided to dismantle the hoarding into 21 strips. The hoarding, comprising six layers and iron rods up to 20 feet long, was systematically divided, and multiple teams were deployed to search for survivors. After nearly 12 hours of arduous work, the team succeeded in segmenting the hoarding and began cutting it vertically, creating tunnel-like openings that facilitated further rescues. Fire brigade officials utilised JCB machines, cutter machines, various cranes, trucks, and over 50 labourers to expedite the process. By Wednesday morning, the screams of trapped individuals were still audible, but the vertical cuts enabled the rescue of 11 more people.
A medical team and ambulance were on standby at the site to provide immediate assistance to the injured. By Wednesday night, around 18 bikes, seven to eight cars, and three to four trucks had been cleared from the site. However, only 30-40 per cent of the hoarding’s iron parts had been removed by this time, and the rescue operation is expected to continue for at least another 48 hours. The scene was marked by the anxious presence of family members of those still feared trapped under the massive billboard, reflecting the ongoing human tragedy and the relentless efforts of the rescue teams.
Around 17 fire brigade vehicles with 68 fire brigade personnel had reached the spot by 4.30 pm. Deputy Chief Fire Officer Harishchandra Raghu Shetty said, “After the hoarding was lifted with a crane, we started the rescue operation by cutting iron rods with the help of the hydraulic cutting machines. We also sought permission from Bharat Petroleum to use the gas cutter machines but didn’t get permission on day one.” To begin with, the fire brigade officials cut the iron pillars of the hoarding. It took them nearly an hour to complete this task. “In the evening of May 14, we received permission to use gas cutter machines. We used high-pressure water sprays while cutting the iron rods to avoid fires,” Shetty said. Meanwhile, the NDRF team rushed to the spot to assist the rescue operation.
