- Five-storey building collapsed near Delhi’s Saket station, killing four.
- Rescue operations accounted for all trapped individuals after collapse.
A five-storey building collapsed near Delhi’s Saket Metro station on Saturday evening in which four people were killed, leaving several people feared trapped under the debris and triggering a large-scale rescue operation.
Residents said they heard a loud sound resembling a generator blast moments before the structure came crashing down, sending dust and debris billowing across the area. The building, located on Western Marg in Saidulajab, was completely reduced to rubble.
According to police sources, a coaching institute operated on the ground floor, while construction work was underway on the upper floors. Authorities suspect some of those trapped may be students.
Case Registered
A case of culpable homicide has been registered in connection with the building collapse, and multiple teams are investigating the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Anant Mittal told PTI.
Police said the five-storey structure was completely flattened, with debris also falling onto a nearby tin-shed canteen that was regularly used by students preparing for medical entrance exams. All injured persons were rushed to the AIIMS Trauma Centre for medical treatment.
Officials said the operation was called off after all trapped individuals had been accounted for. The exact reason behind the collapse remains unclear, and authorities have launched an inquiry to determine the cause.
Two MCD Engineers Suspended
Two Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) engineers have been suspended with immediate effect. As per an order issued by the Deputy Commissioner of the MCD’s South Zone, Assistant Engineer (Building) Sudesh Singh Chouhan and Junior Engineer (Building) Aman Jain were suspended over alleged supervisory lapses linked to the building collapse in Saidulajab on Saturday.
The order stated that Chouhan was suspended for failing to exercise effective supervision and for negligence in connection with the collapsed property. Jain was suspended on charges of dereliction of duty and negligence in the discharge of his responsibilities.
‘Sounded Like Generator Blast’: Local
One resident living behind the building said he initially thought an explosion had occurred. “There was a sound like a generator blast, followed by dust, mud and debris flying everywhere,” he said, adding that locals only realised a building had collapsed after stepping outside.
Witnesses said residents rushed to help even before emergency teams arrived. Several locals gathered at the site as rescue efforts continued through the night.
Another local resident said, “All we could hear were screams coming from under the rubble. There was a huge cloud of dust. When it settled, we realised that part of an adjoining structure had also been affected.”
Another resident said the collapse occurred around 6 pm and noted that the building housed offices. Since it was a weekend, fewer people were likely inside than on a regular working day. He added that the impact was felt by some nearby structures as well.
Family members of those feared trapped expressed frustration over the lack of information. One local alleged that residents had rescued more people than official teams in the initial hours and claimed previous complaints had been made about the building’s construction.
Around 30 Medical Students Involved
FAIMA FMC In-Charge Jaswant Yadav said around 30 medical students preparing for NEET-PG and FMG examinations were involved in the incident. He said several injured students, including Kshitij Pratap, Saina Khan, Tarun Singh, Aditya Sharma, Neelam Yadav, Aastha and Anuj, were admitted to AIIMS and were in stable condition.
Residents described hearing screams from beneath the rubble as a massive cloud of dust engulfed the area. Some said part of an adjoining structure was also affected by the collapse.
Building ‘Collapsed Like Pack of Cards’
Locals used mobile phone flashlights to search through the debris while police, firefighters and rescue teams carried out operations. Residents said the building was frequently used by students and office workers and feared the consequences could have been far worse during peak working hours.
Witnesses estimated that around 300 to 400 people usually visited the commercial building during office hours. One resident described the collapse as the building falling “like a pack of cards.”
The Delhi Fire Services received a call about the incident at 7.44 pm and dispatched seven fire tenders to the spot.
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