3-storey building collapses in Old Delhi's Chawri Bazaar; several feared trapped
3-storey building collapses in Old Delhi's Chawri Bazaar; several feared trapped Photograph: (Credit: ANI)
A three-storey under-construction building collapsed in Gali Sitara near Chawri Bazaar Metro Station in Old Delhi on Thursday morning. Rescue teams and fire units are on-site as several remain feared trapped beneath the debris.
A three-storey under-construction building collapsed in Old Delhi's Chawri Bazaar on Thursday morning (Nov 5) around 9:50 AM, killing two and injuring one. The incident has raised fears that several people are trapped underneath the debris. The incident took place in Gali Sitara, near the Chawri Bazaar Metro station. Emergency services responded swiftly, deploying at least six fire tenders and specialised rescue vehicles to the site.
The collapse underscores growing concerns over structural safety in the capital, coming just days after a similar incident in Milan Garden, northeast Delhi, where two men died after existing roof slabs gave way during the construction of an additional floor.
Following the incident, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta ordered an inquiry into the collapse of a three-storey building under construction in Old Delhi's Chawri Bazar, which claimed two lives and left four others injured, and directed the registration of an FIR against the contractor.
DCP Central Rohit Rajbir Singh says, "A building was being constructed here up to the third floor, and work was ongoing on the floor above that. During the pouring of the slab, the building collapsed. The building has caved in significantly, and the people in the surrounding buildings have been evacuated. The building next to the collapsed one is also in a precarious condition.”
The official confirmed that three people have been rescued by the NDRF team. Emergency response teams, including the Fire Department and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) personnel, are currently on-scene conducting search and rescue operations. Of the three individuals pulled from the rubble, two were pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital, while the third remains injured but in stable condition. Authorities have identified the builders responsible for the illegal construction and are actively tracking them down. Officials confirmed that a warning letter regarding the unauthorized work had previously been sent to municipal agencies, though construction had not been halted. Between 10 to 15 laborers, and potentially more, were at the site when the structure collapsed.
