1 dead, 4 rescued as building collapses in Delhi's Rohini; 4-5 feared trapped

New Delhi, Jul 8 (PTI) One person died and four people were rescued after a four-storey building under construction collapsed in Delhi's Rohini on Wednesday, while four to five people, besides the property owner's husband, are feared trapped under the debris, police said. The deceased was identified as Ram Kishore (42), who was pulled out from the rubble and rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. Those rescued included Ravi (35), a POP worker, and Saddham (32), who sustained fractures to his pelvis and arm and is undergoing treatment at the Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital. Police said two more persons have been rescued. In a post on X, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said police and district administration teams were rushed to the spot after receiving information about the building collapse. Rescue and evacuation operations are underway, Gupta said, adding that the situation is being monitored and officials have been directed to ensure all necessary assistance. The collapse occurred around 4:20 pm at property numbers G-4/152 and G-4/153 near an MCD school in Rohini's Sector 16 as heavy rain lashed several parts of the national capital. Authorities, however, have not confirmed whether the rainfall contributed to the collapse. According to police, a PCR call regarding the building collapse was received at around 4:30 pm, following which emergency agencies rushed to the site. The property is jointly owned by Manju, wife of Ram Dua, and Ritika, wife of Vinod, police said in a statement issued late in the evening. Dua is feared trapped under the debris. Police, the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the revenue department, Tata Power, ambulance services and other agencies launched a rescue operation that continued late into the night. Immediately after receiving information, police secured the area, ensured an unhindered passage for the rescue vehicles, evacuated nearby buildings and made elaborate law-and-order arrangements to facilitate the rescue work. Heavy machinery, including private JCB machines and two Hydra cranes, was deployed on the request of the Delhi Police to remove concrete slabs and speed up the operation. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Shashank Jaiswal narrated how rescue teams pulled out a man from beneath the debris. "We had called for oxygen beforehand. We reached out to the man and gave him water. He was rescued safely. We are trying to establish contact with the others trapped under the rubble and rescue them as quickly as possible," he said. Police said the rescuers also arranged an oxygen cylinder from a nearby hospital and supplied oxygen to another trapped person. Generator sets and lighting facilities were installed at the site to enable uninterrupted rescue work after nightfall. Jaiswal also addressed reports about a vehicle trapped under the debris. "The car buried beneath the rubble belongs to one of the sub-inspectors. He had arrived at the site just before the building collapsed and managed to escape safely. Only his vehicle is trapped under the rubble," he said. Police said Dua is suspected to be trapped beneath the debris. Around four to five labourers are also feared trapped. Locals rushed to the site after hearing a loud crashing sound, followed by cries for help from beneath the rubble. Before specialised rescue teams arrived, locals began removing bricks, broken concrete slabs and twisted iron rods with their bare hands in a desperate attempt to save those trapped. People formed human chains for the debris clearance, while others brought shovels and construction tools from nearby houses and worksites. As the rescue operation gathered pace, police cordoned off the area to prevent onlookers from hampering the work. A video released by the DFS showed firefighters using hydraulic cutters and specialised rescue equipment to lift massive concrete slabs. In the video, a firefighter is seen lying flat on the rubble and peering through a narrow opening to establish contact with a trapped person. A hand can be seen protruding from beneath the debris as rescuers reassure him and continue trying to reach him safely. Rescue personnel said every slab had to be removed cautiously to avoid triggering a secondary collapse. Investigators have begun collecting details regarding the number of labourers present at the site at the time of the incident, compliance with sanctioned plans and whether any structural alterations were carried out. "It is suspected that around five people are trapped under the rubble. The owner of the building is also believed to be there," local MLA Kulwant Rana said. He said the government will make sure that the victims receive compensation, while expressing apprehension that poor-quality construction might have contributed to the collapse. AAP councillor from the Rohini A ward, Pradeep Mittal, said strict action would be taken against anyone found responsible. "This is a very serious incident. Strict action will be taken against whoever is found responsible. Our immediate priority is the rescue operation as some people are feared trapped under the debris. Only after the rescue work is completed will the exact cause of the collapse be known," Mittal told PTI. Referring to an earlier building collapse in the city, he said directions were already issued to ensure strict compliance with building by-laws and warned that any lapse would invite stringent action. The MCD said the collapsed structure had received sanctioned building plans under the SARAL scheme. According to the civic body's preliminary inspection, the collapse involved properties numbered G-4/152 and G-4/153, each built on plots measuring about 26 square metres. Field officials learnt from locals that plumbing work was allegedly being carried out inside the building before the collapse. Preliminary findings suggested that drilling or cutting structural members, including columns and beams, might have been undertaken during the plumbing work. The MCD said both structures had collapsed completely, causing extensive damage. Based on preliminary observations and information collected from the site, the civic body said the collapse might have resulted from structural failure or differential settlement of the foundation. However, it said the exact cause would be established only after a detailed technical examination. The MCD also noted that the overall supervision of the construction rested with the architect and structural engineer who had obtained the sanction for the building plans. Police said a detailed probe has been initiated and all aspects, including adherence to sanctioned plans, construction quality, possible structural modifications and the role of those associated with the project, would be examined. Statements of labourers, residents, engineers and others concerned would be recorded as part of the investigation, they said. PTI BM MSJ VBH SGV VIT RC