Agencies | New Delhi:
At least three people, including two children, were killed and eight others injured after a multi-storey building collapsed in northeast Delhi’s Seemapuri area on Wednesday, trapping several people under the debris.
Eleven people have so far been rescued from the collapsed structure, with the eight injured victims shifted to Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital in Tahirpur for treatment.
The injured have been identified as Momin Mirja, 56; Abdaan, 3; Abdul Rehman, 28; Devruddin, 28; Salma, 50; Chote, 34; Sakina, 35; and Samad, 30.
Among those killed was a 12-year-old girl whose identity was yet to be established. Another deceased victim, identified as Gulafsa, 21, was approximately four months pregnant. The identity and details of the third victim, a child, were not immediately known.
The incident occurred at building number E-401 in E-Block, New Seemapuri, Delhi Police said. The structure, reportedly built on a plot measuring around 25 square yards, was approximately 20 to 25 years old and occupied at the time of the collapse.
The collapse also damaged parts of two to three adjoining buildings. Walls of a neighbouring structure were damaged, while the boundary wall of a nearby mosque also collapsed due to the impact.
Delhi Fire Service received information about the incident at around 3.30 pm and immediately rushed fire tenders to the site. Teams from the Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) reached the spot within 15 to 20 minutes and launched search and rescue operations.
A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also joined the operation as rescuers continued to clear the debris and search for people who may still be trapped.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Rajendra Prasad Meena said several people had been rescued and taken to hospital, while initial assessments suggested that two to three more people could be trapped under the debris. The building is located near Idgah Masjid in Seemapuri.
According to local inquiries, families engaged in rag-picking were living in the area and some people were reportedly collecting recyclable material when the building collapsed. Neighbours also claimed that cracks had appeared in the structure following an earthquake the previous night and that the owner had been in the process of vacating the building. These claims were yet to be independently verified.
Earlier, police officials had reported no fatalities as rescue operations were still underway, with the casualty figures being revised as teams recovered more victims from the debris.
The collapse also disrupted traffic movement in and around Seemapuri. Delhi Traffic Police advised commuters to avoid the area, particularly around Seemapuri Gol Chakkar, DLF Bhopura and adjoining roads, to allow ambulances and rescue vehicles unhindered access.
“Please avoid the area if possible. Do not stop, park or gather near the site, and follow the directions of traffic personnel,” the traffic police said in a post on X.
Rescue and relief operations remained underway late into the day, with authorities continuing to ascertain the exact number of people who were inside the building when it collapsed.
The incident comes amid renewed scrutiny of building safety in Delhi following a fatal building collapse in the Satya Niketan area last month.
