Deaths in Mumbai building collapse climb to 43

NEW DELHI - The death toll in the residential building collapse in Mumbai has reached 43 by Saturday, while 32 people were injured in the incident, said local media reports.

Police have also arrested the owner of a decoration firm, who illegally carried out renovation at his rented office-cum-warehouse on the ground floor of the five-storey building, said Press Trust of India.

The building, which is close to Dockyard Road railway station of Mumbai, was owned by the government.

An unspecified number of people are still trapped under the debris two days after the building collapsed early Friday morning.

More than 20 families, or at least 150 people, were living in the building at the time of the collapse.

Authorities had already asked the inhabitants to vacate as the 30-year-old building was in urgent need of repairs.

This is the third time in a few months that buildings collapsed in Mumbai due to running down conditions and lack of safety measures.

Illegal renovations, additional constructions and over habitation are among the reasons for frequent building collapses in India.