Body Recovered After Building Collapse in Northeast Delhi’s Harsh Vihar
A body has been recovered after a building collapsed in Northeast Delhi's Harsh Vihar. NDRF and police are searching for more trapped victims.
Tragedy struck Milan Garden in Harsh Vihar, Northeast Delhi, where a building collapse has left at least one person dead and rescue teams scrambling to find other missing individuals. A body was recovered from the ruins on Monday morning, following a grueling operation that began Sunday evening.
Emergency Response and Rescue Efforts
The alarm was first raised on Sunday at 6:46 pm when the Delhi Fire Services received a distress call. In an immediate response, five fire tenders were dispatched to the scene. The scale of the disaster necessitated a massive multi-agency operation, bringing together the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local police, the fire brigade, and Civil Defence personnel.
The rescue operation has been fraught with challenges. Additional DCP Sandeep Lamba noted that the site's layout made the task particularly difficult. Because the area is completely enclosed, officials struggled initially to identify the specific building that had caved in. Despite these hurdles, rescue teams and local residents have been working side-by-side to clear massive amounts of debris.
The Cause: A Fatal Construction Error?
Preliminary assessments suggest that the collapse was triggered by unauthorized or faulty construction work. Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra, who visited the site on Sunday night, indicated that the disaster may have occurred during the installation of a new lintel, which caused the floor below to cave in.
Further details provided by Additional DCP Sandeep Lamba revealed that the building was originally an old, single-storey structure. However, an additional floor was being constructed on top of the aging foundation.
Eyewitness Account
A local resident provided a harrowing description of how the structure failed. According to the resident, a concrete slab was being cast for the new upper floor. The existing lower slab, which was already weak, could not withstand the weight of the new construction. This led to a catastrophic failure where the lower slab gave way, bringing the entire new structure crashing down.
Investigation Underway
Minister Kapil Mishra described the event as "unfortunate" and confirmed that a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collapse will be conducted. It is believed that two people—reportedly a father and his son—were trapped beneath the rubble when the floors collapsed.
"All relevant agencies are fully mobilised. This is, without a doubt, an unfortunate incident, and the circumstances surrounding its occurrence will certainly be investigated," stated Minister Kapil Mishra.
As the search continues, the NDRF and other agencies remain on-site, meticulously sifting through the debris in hopes of locating any other survivors or victims.