Three people, including two children and a 21-year-old pregnant woman, died after a multi-storey building collapsed in Seemapuri in northeast Delhi on a Wednesday afternoon. Eight others were rescued from the debris with injuries.
The victims included a 12-year-old girl whose identity had not immediately been established, Gulafsha, 21, who was around four months pregnant, and a young child whose age was not immediately known.
The collapse occurred at around 3.10-3.15pm in E-Block, near Idgah Machhli Mandi, an area with densely packed homes and narrow lanes. Emergency services were alerted shortly after the incident, following which rescue teams were sent to the site.
Rescue operation launched
Delhi Fire Service teams, Delhi Police, municipal authorities and disaster management personnel took part in the rescue operation. A team from the National Disaster Response Force also reached the location as efforts continued to search through the rubble.
Heavy machinery, including four JCB machines, was deployed to remove the debris. Ambulances were stationed nearby, while sniffer dogs were brought in to assist teams searching for people who could potentially still be trapped underneath the collapsed structure.
The operation was complicated by the area’s narrow lanes and high population density, making it difficult for heavy equipment and emergency vehicles to reach the building quickly.
Electricity supply to the surrounding area was also disconnected after the collapse damaged an electricity pole and brought down wires leading towards a nearby market. Generators were subsequently used to provide lighting as rescue teams continued working into the evening.
Eight people rescued from the site and were identified.
Some of the injured were inside the building when it came down, while others were reportedly in the area outside the structure.
Residents say cracks appeared after earthquake
Local residents told officials that the building had developed cracks following an earthquake reported in the area a day before the collapse.
Residents also claimed that the owner had subsequently been attempting to vacate the structure after the cracks appeared. These claims, however, had not been independently verified by police.
The information has raised questions about whether the structure had suffered damage before the collapse, although authorities have not yet established a connection between the earthquake and the building failure.
Officials said the precise cause of the collapse would be determined only after a detailed structural assessment.
Building’s age and construction details examined
According to municipal officials, the structure stood on a plot belonging to the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board and measuring approximately 25 square yards.
The building was estimated to be around 20 to 25 years old.
There was some difference in descriptions of the building’s size. Municipal officials described it as a ground-plus-three-storey structure, while residents said it had five storeys.
The collapse also affected neighbouring structures. Two adjoining buildings suffered damage, with part of the wall of one of them also giving way. A boundary wall belonging to a nearby idgah was damaged as well.
Officials are expected to examine the condition of the collapsed building and surrounding structures as part of the assessment.
Families in the area affected
Residents said several families involved in collecting recyclable material, including plastic, lived in and around the area. Some were reportedly engaged in collecting material when the building collapsed.
The densely populated surroundings meant that a large number of people were present near the site, adding to the challenges faced by emergency responders.
Rescue personnel continued clearing the debris carefully while checking for possible survivors. The search operation continued for several hours after the collapse.
Authorities monitor relief efforts
The chief minister’s office said that rescue and relief operations were being closely monitored and that agencies had been instructed to coordinate their efforts.
Authorities said priority was being given to rescuing anyone who might remain trapped, providing medical assistance to those injured and securing the surrounding area.
The incident has also renewed concerns about the condition of older and potentially vulnerable buildings in densely populated parts of Delhi, particularly where structures have undergone deterioration or may have been affected by external events such as earthquakes.
For now, investigators are focusing on establishing the exact circumstances that caused the building to collapse. A structural assessment is expected to provide more clarity on whether pre-existing damage, construction issues, structural weakness or other factors played a role.
The deaths of the three victims have brought the rescue operation to a tragic conclusion, while authorities continue to assess the building and the safety of neighbouring structures in the area.
