Delhi Mustafabad building collapse: In a devastating incident in Delhi’s Shakti Vihar area, a four-storey residential building collapsed in the early hours of Saturday, claiming 11 lives, including three children, and injuring 11 others. The building came down around 3 AM, burying families in rubble and leading to 12-hour-long rescue operations.
The building, situated in Mustafabad locality of north-east Delhi, fell down in what officials described as a ”pancake collapse,” a particularly dangerous form of structural failure. As per the PTI report, in this kind of collapse, floors get stacked atop one another. CCTV footage from a nearby building captured the sudden collapse, followed by a cloud of dust covering the lane.
Police confirmed that at the time of the incident, 22 people were inside the 20-year-old structure, most of them family members and tenants. The owner of the building, Tehseen (60), along with six of his family members, died in the incident. His brother Bhulan was seen mourning at the site, stating, ”We have lost an entire generation in one moment.”
What led to the Delhi Mustafabad building collapse?
Preliminary investigations indicate that recent construction activity which was taking place in the ground floor may have weakened the structure. According to locals, unauthorized work was going on in two or three shops at the base of the building. Residents also pointed out that long-standing issues with sewage water flowing into foundations, making the structures weak over time.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) also confirmed that the building was not structurally sound and committed to surveying similar buildings in that area. A case has been filed under sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita for negligent construction and endangerment to life.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, Delhi Fire Services, and local volunteers worked tirelessly all through the day to rescue trapped residents. The use of heavy machinery for search operations was limited because of the congested area. NDRF DIG Mohsen Shahidi mentioned, ”Survivability in such collapses is low. We had to move cautiously given the dense surroundings.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and announced ex gratia relief. Delhi CM Rekha Gupta and other political leaders have ordered and urged cooperation in rescue and relief operations.
(With inputs from PTI)