15-year-old footballers injured in Thane roof collapse amid severe weather conditions

A tragic incident unfolded at Gawand Park in Upvan, Thane, on Friday night, as seven young footballers were injured when a terrace roof from an adjacent building collapsed due to heavy rains and strong winds. The incident occurred around 9:30 pm, shocking the local community.

The young athletes were playing football on a turf field when the roof crashed. The Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC) responded swiftly, transporting the injured to a nearby hospital.

Yasin Tadvi, Chief of the RDMC, provided details on the incident, saying (via Free Press Journal):

"We received information about the terrace roof (shed) collapsing in the Upvan area. We dispatched one pickup to the spot. A total of 17 students were playing on the ground when the incident occurred. Out of the 17 students, seven sustained injuries."

The injured players, all aged 15, have been identified as Ethan Gonsalves, Shubhan Karpe, Siddhant Ravasiya, Abhigyan, Aryan Iyer, Archit, and Ayyan Khan. The condition of these young footballers seems serious, with Archit currently on a ventilator and Ethan and Ayyan in serious condition in the ICU.

---

“I never expected such an incident to happen here” - Eyewitness Rahul Patil on the Thane turf accident

Rahul Patil, an eyewitness who was present at the scene, recounted the terrifying moment and his immediate response, saying (via Free Press Journal):

"It occurred in a couple of minutes. I never expected such an incident to happen here. My son plays in the under-15 category, and his match was scheduled from 8 to 9. I came here to pick up my child and his friend after they finished their match. It was a very horrible incident. I rushed to the spot, put one boy named Archit in my car, and hurried to the hospital for treatment.”

The children injured in the accident were reportedly students in the ninth and tenth grades, playing during their allocated time from 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

​