GUWAHATI: At least three people, including a pregnant woman and a child, were killed and eight others, including a three-year-old child, were injured after a four-storey building collapsed in northeast Delhi’s Seemapuri area on Wednesday, October 7, according to reports.
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The collapse took place near the Idgah Machhli Mandi area at around 3:30 PM. The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) rushed four fire tenders to the spot after receiving information about the incident.
Rescue operations continued at the site, with officials fearing that one or two people could still be trapped under the debris. A Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) official reportedly said that around 75% of the debris had been cleared, but it could take a couple more hours to completely clear the area.
Locals were among the first to respond after the building collapsed. Residents used their hands to remove bricks and rubble and helped rescue people trapped underneath the debris before taking them to nearby hospitals.
The building, constructed on a plot measuring around 25 square yards, collapsed and partially damaged two adjoining buildings.
Locals claimed that the building had developed cracks on Tuesday when Delhi experienced earthquake tremors in the evening. However, the exact cause of the collapse has not yet been ascertained.
The incident comes a month after a boys’ paying guest accommodation in Delhi’s Satya Niketan collapsed on September 6 while repair work was underway. Seven people were killed and several others were injured in that incident.
Following the Satya Niketan collapse, the MCD has been conducting enforcement drives against dangerous buildings, unauthorised constructions and violations of the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) and building bye-laws.
