Three people have died and rescuers are frantically searching for at least 30 others feared trapped in a four-storeyed building that collapsed on Tuesday morning in Ghatkopar, an eastern suburb of Mumbai. Eleven people were pulled out of the rubble and taken to Rajawadi hospital in Ghatkopar.

"Hospital has confirmed that three people have died," Prakash Mehta, Maharashtra's Housing Minister told news agency ANI.

The city's chief fire officer, Prabhat Rahangdale, said dozens of people were believed missing under rubble after the structure, in Ghatkopar's Damodar Park area, gave way. He said they were alerted to the collapse at 10:43 am.

"The entire ground and four floored residential building collapsed. About 30 to 40 persons are suspected to be trapped. Until now 11 persons (have been) rescued and sent to hospital," Mr Rahangdale said.

Municipal officials said the building housed a nursing home too, but it was being renovated and so did not have too many patients.

Fire brigade personnel and rescue officials have rushed to the spot and rescue operations are underway to pull out those stuck in the debris. A JCB excavator is being used to shift rubble.

"Our rescue team, fire brigade jawans and other senior officials of the BMC have also reached the spot. The rescue work is going on a war-footing," said P S Rahangdale, chief of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's fire brigade department.

He said they were alerted to the collapse at 10:43 am.

A dilapidated building killed 12 people when it collapsed outside Mumbai in August 2015. Nine people had died the same month when another old three-storeyed building collapsed in monsoon rain in the Mumbai suburb of Thakurli.

At least four people were killed in two incidents in April and August last year when buildings collapsed in the city.

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