Building Collapse Kills 41 in Mumbai

At least 41 people have been killed after a building collapsed near Mumbai, the AP reports. More than 50 have been injured, and more could be trapped. At least 11 children were dead, officials said, with more than 20 people missing amid rescue efforts. The seven-story building was in the midst of illegal construction, the BBC reports, with four floors already occupied. The casualties were mostly construction workers who'd been staying in the building, said an official.

"The building collapsed like a pack of cards within three to four seconds," said a witness. The disaster occurred as workers attempted to build an eighth floor, the AP notes. Building collapses are frequent in India thanks to weak materials and procedures, reports the BBC. High rises have been increasing in step with population increases, but they're often built without necessary safeguards and licenses. In this case, a witness said, "they made an eight-story building [out] of what was supposed to be a four-story building." Police intend to arrest the builders. (More India stories.)