Mumbai, July 19: At least nine people were killed and 40 others injured when a seven-storeyed building caved in like a pack of cards in the densely populate suburb of Borivali in North west Mumbai today.

The 20-year-old 'laxmi Chhaya' building, which was part of a three-building residential-cum-shopping complex, crumbled at 1900 hrs this evening, trapping at least 100 people under the debris.

Vibrations were experienced by residents in the other wing due to the collapse, making the residents scamper to safety.

According to police, the rescue operation would continue all night as wails and cries of women and children were still heard from the debris.

Of the 17 admitted to the civic-run Bhagawati Hospital, 9 were declared dead, while 4 were undergoing treatment in trauma intensive care unit (TICU). Twenty-three others were undergoing treatment for fractures or minor injuries at various private clinics.

The Hospital sources said of the five deceased women, the identity of two was ascertained. They are one Sangita (45) and Vinita Shah (30), while the identity of two eight-year-old girls was yet to be ascertained. Of the two men, one was identified as Jaisingh Sohil (30), while the identity of 35-year-old man was unknown.

According to fire brigade sources, this was the first major collapse in the suburbs since the onset of monsoon.

The whole area was cordoned off and traffic came to a standstill to make way to the fire tenders and ambulances. Relief and rescue operations were on even at midnight at a warfooting with hunderds of volunatary organisations assisting the police and fire-brigade personnel.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil, who visited Bhagwati Hospital late tonight, have ordered a magisterial inquiry into the building collapse.

MRCC president Gurudas Kamat and North Mumbai MP Govinda and leaders of all major political leaders visited the spot and also enquired the condition of the injured.

UNI