Building collapses in north Delhi; 12 rescued

A four-storey under construction DDA residential building collapsed in Kaushik Enclave in Burari, north Delhi on Monday evening, trapping at least 25 people under it of whom 12, including four minor girls, have been rescued and taken to the hospital, police said.

According to Delhi Fire Services, a few labourers and their families were living in the building which was built on a 200 square yards plot.

“We don’t know the exact cause of the collapse. It could be poor construction or something else. However, around 6.55 pm, we received a call that a building completely collapsed and all its residents were trapped under heaps of debris,” said a fire officer.

SK Dua, fire officer, said at least 100 fire officers are on site to rescue the people. “We don’t have the exact figures as many labourers were there. We think 10 more are stuck inside. We will have to check. Firefighters are using voids amid the debris to rescue people. It’s very tough as debris from four storeys is on the ground...on top of each other,” he said.

Firefighters said they are working with three JCB to remove the debris carefully and also drilling holes into blocks of cement to get through to the victims.

Fire officials added that the building was almost complete and it fell on the adjacent vacant plot. “Luckily, the adjacent plot was vacant or others would have been injured. Before we arrived, teams of police, NDRF and locals helped the residents,” added the officer.