India, July 18 -- A three-storey chawl collapsed in the western suburb of Bandra in Mumbai in the early hours of Friday, with at least several people feared trapped in the debris, civic officials said.

Police officials said 12 people have been rescued from under the debris so far and admitted to the nearest civic-run Bhabha Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment. According to news agency ANI, at least seven more people are feared trapped in the rubble.

According to a report by the news agency PTI, preliminary information indicates that chawl number 37 in the Bharat Nagar area of Bandra East collapsed around 5.56 AM.

According to the initial investigation, a cylinder blast occurred in the building, after which some parts of the b...