New Delhi, July 31, 2026

The death toll from the Bhiwandi building collapse in Maharashtra’s Thane district rose to nine on Friday after rescuers recovered another body from the debris. Rescue teams continued searching for people feared trapped inside the partially collapsed residential building, underscoring the severity of the tragedy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives and announced financial assistance from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF). “I am deeply saddened by the news of the loss of lives due to the building collapse in Thane, Maharashtra. In this tragic incident, my condolences are with the grieving families. My prayers are that the injured in this accident recover as soon as possible,” the Prime Minister said in a post on X. He announced Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased person and Rs 50,000 for those injured.

The collapse occurred between 11 p.m. and 11.30 p.m. on Thursday when part of the B Wing of the ground-plus-four-storey Kohinoor Building in Balaji Nagar, Gangaram Wada, Narapoli, collapsed. The structure had reportedly been declared unsafe by the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation, while repair work was underway. Residents said cracking sounds were heard earlier, prompting neighbours to evacuate several families, although some occupants were trapped when the building gave way.

The NDRF confirmed that nine bodies had been recovered and that rescue operations were continuing. “Nine bodies of victims have been retrieved till now. Operations are still continuing,” the NDRF said, adding that one Assistant Commandant was injured during the rescue operation. Multiple agencies continued clearing the debris in search of survivors, with ambulances, a JCB machine and a dog squad deployed at the site.