Four dead in New Seemapuri building collapse as rescue continues

A residential building collapsed on Wednesday afternoon in New Seemapuri, northeast Delhi, killing four people. A fourth body was recovered from the debris on Thursday morning, raising the toll (Economic Times).

Fire services received the call about the collapse near Idgah Machhli Mandi at around 3.30pm; the DCP said information was received at 3.40pm. Three people died on Wednesday: Gulafsa, 21, around four months pregnant; a 12-year-old girl; and an 18-month-old child. The identities of the two children have not been ascertained (The Tribune).

Eleven people have been rescued from the debris so far, with eight shifted to Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital in Tahirpur: Momin Mirja (56), Abdaan (3), Abdul Rehman (28), Devruddin (28), Salma (50), Chote (34), Sakina (35) and Samad (30). Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, the MCD, DDMA, NDRF and DUSIB continue the multi-agency rescue for those feared still trapped.

The cause has not been established. The MCD said residents reported cracks after Tuesday evening’s earthquake tremors in Delhi, and the owner was reportedly vacating the structure. Police describe a four-storey building on a 225 sq ft plot; the MCD, a three-storey structure in a jhuggi-jhopri area of about 22 square yards. Both agree it was around 20–25 years old and occupied when it collapsed.

An adjoining building’s walls and a nearby mosque’s boundary wall were damaged; rag-picker families were reportedly among those trapped.

The collapse comes a month after a building in Delhi’s Satya Niketan crashed down on September 6, killing seven and injuring 12.