The death toll in the Bhiwandi building collapse in Maharashtra has risen to 39 on Wednesday, ANI reported.

25 people were rescued by Tuesday night. The dead included at least 11 children, aged between 2 to 15. 

The 43-year-old Jilani building collapsed at 3.40 am on Monday.

It had 40 flats and 150 people lived in it. The building, located at Narpoli’s Patel Compound near Dhamankar Naka, collapsed while the residents were asleep.

Teams of the NDRF and personnel of the Thane Disaster Response Force (TDRF) were rushed to the spot for search and rescue. 

The building was not in the list of dilapidated structures of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC), an official told PTI.

Two civic officials have been suspended in connection with the incident. Offences under sections 337, 338, 304 (2) of the IPC have been registered against the building’s owner Sayyed Ahmed Jilani.

A civic official said the building was served two notices, one in 2019 and another in February, over alleged irregularities, but the residents did not leave as the rent was very low, PTI reported.

Maharashtra rehabilitation minister Vijay Wadettiwar said the issue of unauthorised and dangerous buildings in Bhiwandi was a serious one and it will be discussed in the state cabinet.

Action would be taken against those responsible for the collapse, the minister said.