Senior officials are overseeing the rescue operations. Screengrab: ANI
Old Delhi building collapse: 2 dead, 4 injured, CM Rekha Gupta orders FIR
The building collapsed near Chawri Bazar Metro station around 9.50 am on Thursday. Six fire tenders and rescue vehicles were rushed to the spot
Two people died after a three-storey building under construction collapsed near Chawri Bazaar Metro Station in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk area on Thursday (November 5) in Old Delhi’s Gali Sattara, Sheesh Mahal, Delhi Police said. Four others were injured in the incident. Several people were initially feared trapped under the debris.
Fire teams rush to rescue site
The Delhi Fire Department received a distress call at around 9.50 am from the Paiwalan area. Six fire department units were deployed for the rescue operation, reported ANI. The initial team comprised two water tenders, a water bowser, a Quick Response Vehicle (QRV) and an Incident Response Team (IRT).
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One more water tender was later sent to the site, along with Assistant Divisional Officer (ADO) Rajesh Shukla. The department said the total deployment stood at six units.
The report further stated that at around 10.15 am, Station Officer DK Rai informed the department that the under-construction building had collapsed and people might be trapped inside. He also sought more personnel and the presence of a senior officer. ADO Rajesh Shukla, Station Officer Bhupender Sharma and SO DK Rai were among those at the site.
CM orders FIR agsinst contractor
Later in the day Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta ordered an inquiry into the incident and directed officials to register an FIR against the contractor. She also ordered the immediate suspension of the junior engineer (JE) and assistant engineer (AE) concerned.
Speaking to reporters after visiting the spot with senior officials, the Chief Minister said no official found negligent in overseeing safety norms would be spared. She also appealed to the public to adhere to safety rules during construction.
"Here, construction was under way for a ground-plus-two-floor building. Further investigation is going on. However, the municipal corporation has suspended its JE and AE and registered an FIR against the contractor who was constructing this building," Gupta said.
"The way people are ignoring safety and security while constructing their homes is dangerous to their own lives. Whatever construction it may be, it must be carried out keeping safety and security in mind, and any official who overlooks such negligence will not be spared either," she added.
Eyewitness recounts moments before collapse
An eyewitness, Mohd Nayeem, said residents rushed out of their homes after hearing a loud crash.
"This happened around 9:00 or 9:30. We were asleep when we heard a crashing sound. We all got up and rushed outside. We thought our own house was collapsing. When we checked, we realised it was the house being built next door. Three or four lintels had already been cast, and they all collapsed at once. One of the injured laborers said there were about three or four people there. We saw a body being taken out. This building was under construction for the last 3-4 months...."
AAP slams Delhi CM
Following the incident, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj criticised Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
“Another 3-storey building collapses at Chawri Bazaar/Chandni Chowk. Many feared trapped under debris. Rekha Gupta's government and MCD conducted multiple safety audits of all buildings in Delhi, yet buildings keep collapsing. Why?” Bharadwaj said in a post on X.
Also Read: Satya Niketan building collapse: Death toll rises to 6, 11 rescued
He alleged that officials in several departments were taking bribes and accused the authorities of selective action against buildings.
“Earlier only @DelhiPolice and @MCD_Delhi took bribes; after Rekha Gupta's government, the Fire Department and SDMs (Revenue Department under her) also started collecting bribes from buildings. Those who refuse to pay bribes get sealed by MCD,” he added.
Recent building collapses in Delhi
The latest collapse comes days after two slabs of a building gave way in the Milan Garden area of northeast Delhi during construction of an additional floor. Chanderpal, 60, and Vijay Kumar, 33, died after being trapped under the debris.
A building operating as a boys' paying guest accommodation had also collapsed in South Delhi's Satya Niketan area on September 6. The MCD carried out safety audits after that incident.
(With agency inputs)