New Delhi: In a second such incident in less than 48 hours, a four-storey residential building collapsed in northeast Delhi’s Seelampur area on Saturday morning, trapping several people under the debris and triggering a massive rescue operation.
The building, located in Gali No. 5 of Janta Colony in the Welcome locality, came crashing down around 7 am. Fire officials said at least seven fire tenders were rushed to the spot along with police, disaster response teams, and civil defence personnel. Rescue operations were launched immediately with teams combing through the rubble in search of survivors.
Authorities said up to 10 to 12 people were feared to be trapped inside the structure at the time of the collapse. By afternoon, between four to eight persons, including a toddler, had been pulled out and shifted to nearby hospitals. Eyewitnesses reported a loud crash that shook the surrounding lanes. Asma, a local resident, said she rushed out after hearing the noise. “When I came down, I saw our neighbour’s home had collapsed,” she said.
#WATCH | Delhi: Locals help in clearing the debris after a ground-plus-three building collapses in Delhi’s Seelampur. 3-4 people have been taken to the hospital. More people are feared trapped. https://t.co/VqWVlSBbu1 pic.twitter.com/UWcZrsrWOb
— ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2025
The cause of the collapse is not yet known. Preliminary observations indicate that the building may have had structural weaknesses, but an official assessment will follow after rescue operations are complete.
This is the second major building collapse reported from the national capital in under 48 hours. On Friday around 2 am, a three-storey commercial structure collapsed at Bara Hindu Rao area, killing a 46-year-old man and damaging a parked vehicle. That incident, too, had prompted rescue efforts by the fire department and raised questions about safety in older neighbourhoods.
Locals in both areas have alleged that ongoing metro tunnelling work may have weakened nearby structures. In the Pul Mithai case, some residents blamed underground work being carried out for the Delhi Metro’s Phase 4 expansion. However, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has denied responsibility, stating that the buildings in question had already been declared unsafe and were evacuated prior to the tunnelling activity. Officials added that subsoil grouting had been carried out in the area to reduce risk.
Senior fire department and police officials have confirmed that search and rescue operations in Seelampur are still underway and that the priority remains locating and saving anyone still trapped. Teams are facing challenges due to narrow access roads and dense construction in the locality.
Civic authorities are expected to launch inquiries into the structural integrity of similar buildings and the possible impact of construction-related activities in residential zones.