According to Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) sources, residents of Rassiwala building near Metro cinema in Dhobi Talao had been warned a week ago to evacuate, as the structure was considered unsafe. However, the three families staying in the building wanted the landlord to provide them alternative accommodation and refused to move.

Early yesterday morning, the building began to give way, trapping many of the residents. A restaurant-owner, who had just shut down his eatery, raised an alarm, but by then it was too late. Near-by residents then tried to rescue the people who were trapped in the debris.

Six persons, including four members of the Fernandes family, were among the victims whose bodies were recoveed. Thirteen persons were rushed to the near-by GT hospital.

Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who visited the site yesterday, told reporters that residents of 82 buildings declared unsafe by the government, would be evacuated within a week. According to him, experts did a quick survey after last month's heavy rains — in which over 1,100 persons were killed — and came out with a list of 82 'most unsafe' buildings.

Residents of all these buildings would be immediately evacuated, the chief minister said. He also announced a compensation of Rs100,000 to the dependants of those killed, and Rs10,000 to the injured.

According to the state housing repair board, there are about 20,000 unsafe buildings in Mumbai, most of them built between 60 and 100 years ago. A majority of these buildings are not being repaired because of disputes between the landlords and the tenants, especially over rents which have been frozen for the last half a century.

Last week, a 100-year-old building collapsed in Nagpada killing a dozen persons. A day later, another old building fell in Tardeo.