The rescuers, mostly locals, formed a human chain and bit by bit, person by person, the child was taken out and handed over to his parents.
As hundreds of people scrammed to save themselves from nature's wrath after a building in Mumbai's Dongri area came crashing down, a child stuck in the debris caught their eye.
It was then when the world witnessed why Mumbai is called the Maximum City -- the valour, spirit and humanity, everything is just the maximum.
Point in reference -- the NDRF teams had not reached the spot when the child was discovered stuck in the debris. The rescuers, mostly locals, took it upon themselves to save him and a few other people.
They formed a human chain and bit by bit, person by person, the child was taken out and handed over to his parents. Locals were even using their bare hands to clear out the debris.
The child was then taken to a nearby hospital.
The four-storey building, named Kesarbai, that collapsed Tuesday noon, trapping more than 40 people, is said to be more than 80-year old.
The building collapse took place in a narrow, congested lane -- and crowded neighbourhood, which made the rescue operation difficult.
At least three teams of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) were dispatched for the building collapse site.
The rescue operation is on -- even as families await the fate of those trapped in the debris.
A woman, in her late fifties, told India TV: "My daughter lives with her in-laws in this building. I don't know where she is now."
Another woman said she had gone to the nearby mosque when she received the news of the collapse. "My whole family is stuck inside," she later said.
Two people have been confirmed dead in the collapse. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Disaster Management Cell also said that five people have been rescued so far.
Interestingly, the building had received a no-objection certificate for redevelopment from the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority.
