Seven U17 players injured in Thane as terrace roof collapses

Seven footballers under the age of 17 were injured in Thane after a terrace roof of a seven-story building fell off due to heavy rain and winds on Friday night. 

The mishap occurred at Gawand Park in Upvan Thane around 9:30 PM.

As per the Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC) of the Thane Municipal Corporation, the players were rushed to a nearby hospital after the incident. 

"We received information about the terrace roof (shed) collapsing in the Upvan area. We dispatched one pickup to the spot. A total of 17 students were playing on the ground when the incident occurred. Out of the 17 students, seven sustained injuries," said Yasin Tadvi, Chief of the RDMC. 

The injured players have been identified as Shubhan Karpe, Aryan Iyer, Siddhant Ravasiya, Abhigyan, Ethan Gonsalves, Ayyan Khan, and Archit, all aged 15.

They suffered head injuries, with Ethan and Ayan in critical condition and currently in the ICU. Archit is on a ventilator.

Rahul Patil, an eyewitness, said, "It occurred in a couple of minutes. I never expected such an incident to happen here. My son plays in the under-15 category, and his match was scheduled from 8 to 9. I came here to pick up my child and his friend after they finished their match. It was a very horrible incident. I rushed to the spot, put one boy named Archit in my car, and hurried to the hospital for treatment." 

According to sources, the football turf had two scheduled slots from 8 to 9 PM and 9 to 10 PM.

The collapse happened during the 9 to 10 PM match.

Girish Gode, Senior Police Inspector of Chitalsar Manpada Police Station, said, "We received information about a shed falling off incident. Subsequently, we issued a letter to the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) to conduct an inquiry to determine if the shed had appropriate permission, legality, or if it was illegal. We will take action if TMC decides to file a case after finding negligence in this matter."

An official from Thane Municipal Corporation added, "We formed a team of municipal corporation officers to conduct an inquiry. We will go through whether the building had obtained permission to install a shed on the terrace or not. The structural audit of the shed was conducted by the building's society or not. We will check the stability report of the building's shed if structures audited. We will take strict action against those found guilty of negligence."

The incident has raised significant concerns regarding the structural safety and legal compliance of building modifications in Thane, prompting urgent reviews and potential enforcement actions by the local authorities.