Ahmedabad: Sunday for residents of Birju Apartment’s Block G began with a loud crash and some very tense moments when a PVC water tank installed on their building’s terrace teetered on its weak base and fell, bringing down with it two concrete slabs and trapping over 10 residents inside their homes. While it was a close shave for all residents, a 66-year-old woman suffered a fracture in the incident that occurred at around 9am at the colony located near Azad Society in Ambawadi. After receiving an emergency call, Ahmedabad Emergency and Fire Services (AFES) immediately dispatched a team from the Navrangpura fire station, including rescue personnel. Rubble from the collapsed slabs blocked access into the building. More than 10 residents were evacuated safely using ladders and ropes. The woman, who suffered a fractured leg, was carried down the stairs on a cloth stretcher. Divisional fire officer Pankaj Rawal said that as the overhead tank collapsed, it damaged the roof and the staircase section of the building, making exit routes unsafe. As a result, the fire team entered the premises systematically and rescued each resident. In areas where exits were blocked, slabs were removed to create passages.Birju Apartments are over two decades old. Initial inspection revealed structural weakening near the base of the tank. AFES has issued a notice to the society for further structural and safety review. This is not the first such incident in the city. In 2021, a water tank at a society in Naroda fell, injuring three people. In 2019, a similar collapse was reported in Vasna, where two tanks fell due to poor maintenance. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation then conducted a survey of old tanks in several areas, but follow-up was lacking.In Aug 2017, two persons died and three were injured when an overhead tank on the three-storeyed Ekta Tower in Naranpura collapsed, and came crashing through the terrace floor into homes. Vinod Vyas, a 62-year-old retired govt officer, and Anaksha Khatri, an 18-year-old college student, were going through their morning routine in the living rooms of their homes on the first and second floor respectively when ceilings came smashing down on them. Three persons were also injured. While Vyas died on the spot, Khatri died in hospital.