One person died while five to six others are still feared trapped after a three-storey under-construction building collapsed in Delhi's Rohini area on Wednesday.
"One person died due to the collapse. There are chances of five to six people still being trapped. Rescue operation remains underway," a senior police officer told news agency PTI.
Police, the Delhi Fire Service, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other emergency agencies launched a massive rescue operation.
Two people were pulled out alive from the debris earlier, while rescuers continued searching for individuals trapped beneath the rubble.
The collapse occurred at 4.20 pm near an MCD school in Rohini Sector 16, coinciding with heavy rainfall.
Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the weather contributed to the incident.
Immediately after the collapse, panicked residents rushed to the site after hearing a loud crash and cries for help from beneath the rubble.
Before specialised rescue teams arrived, locals began removing broken bricks, concrete slabs, and twisted iron rods with their bare hands in a desperate attempt to reach those trapped.
Some residents also formed human chains to shift debris, while others brought shovels and other tools from nearby houses and construction sites.
The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) rushed multiple rescue vehicles to the spot, while police, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other emergency agencies joined the operation.
The area around the collapsed structure was cordoned off to facilitate rescue work.
Several videos of the rescue operation surfaced on social media, capturing the tense atmosphere at the site.
One video released by the DFS showed rescuers using hydraulic cutters and specialised equipment to carefully remove heavy concrete slabs without causing further harm to those trapped underneath.
In the video, a firefighter could be seen laying flat on the rubble, peering through a narrow opening in an attempt to locate a trapped person.
A hand could be seen emerging from beneath the debris, apparently signalling for help.
To reassure the trapped individual, the firefighter was heard saying, "Aap chinta mat kariye, aapko bacha lenge sir" (Do not worry, we will rescue you), while repeatedly asking colleagues to bring a torch to better assess the victim's condition through the small gap.
Rescuers are working cautiously, removing debris piece by piece to avoid triggering further collapses.
(With inputs from PTI)