NEW DLEHI: Several people were trapped after a four-storey under-construction building collapsed in south Delhi’s Saidullajab area near Saket metro station on Saturday evening, officials said.
According to the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), information regarding the building collapse on Western Marg in Saidullajab was received at 7.44 pm. Four fire tenders were rushed to the spot and rescue operations were initiated immediately.
The DFS said the building comprised ground plus three floors, with construction ongoing on the third floor.
The structure reportedly collapsed onto an adjacent temporary tin shed canteen where some children were having dinner at the time, trapping them under the debris. Rescue operations are continuing.
Three people were rescued safely by members of the public and the PCR before the arrival of DFS personnel, while four others were rescued by the DFS with the help of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and shifted to a nearby hospital, the DFS said.
DFS personnel, along with local police, the NDRF, ambulances and civil defence teams, are present at the site and carrying out rescue operations.
A resident who was near the site when the incident occurred said the building collapsed at around 6 pm, triggering panic in the area.
According to the eyewitness, the multi-storey structure housed several offices and commercial establishments. Since the incident took place on a weekend, the number of people present inside the building was significantly lower than on weekdays, when the premises would usually witness heavy footfall.
“The entire building came crashing down within moments. The was still unclear how many people might be trapped beneath the debris,” officials said.
Rescue teams involved in the operation said several people had already been pulled out from the rubble. However, preliminary estimates suggest that six to seven individuals could still be trapped inside.
Heavy machinery and emergency personnel continue to be used in the search and rescue efforts.
Another local resident said the collapsed building housed multiple corporate offices and would typically accommodate between 200 and 300 employees on working days.
“Fortunately, it was the weekend; otherwise the number of people inside could have been much higher,” he said.
He further noted that a nearby mess operating close to the building also suffered damage due to the collapse. Debris from the structure reportedly fell onto adjoining areas, affecting nearby properties.
Authorities are yet to ascertain the exact cause of the collapse, while rescue operations continue amid fears that more people may still be trapped under the debris.
