New Delhi: The death toll in the building collapse in Old Delhi’s Hauz Qazi area has risen to three after rescuers recovered another body from the debris on Saturday. Search and rescue operations continued at the site as teams worked to clear the remaining rubble.
The latest victim was identified as Pankaj Sharma, 40, son of Hazari Sharma and a resident of Khagaria district in Bihar. His body was recovered from the collapsed structure in Gali Sitara, near Chawri Bazar Metro station.
With the latest recovery, five people have been accounted for in the incident. Three have lost their lives, while two injured persons were rescued and shifted for medical treatment. Both survivors are reported to be stable.
The three-storey building collapsed at around 9:45 am on Thursday, triggering an extensive rescue operation involving the Delhi Police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Services and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
Around 10 to 15 labourers were reportedly present at the construction site when the structure suddenly came crashing down. Rescue personnel have remained at the location since the incident, searching through the debris for anyone who may still be trapped.
Preliminary findings have raised concerns over construction permissions and safety standards. The structure was allegedly being built without the necessary approvals on a plot measuring approximately 50 square metres. No building plan had reportedly been sanctioned for the construction.
According to initial assessments, construction had reached the third floor when the building collapsed during the laying of the roof slab. Investigations also indicated that non-engineered construction materials had been used and had not properly set, potentially contributing to the structural failure.
The incident has once again raised serious concerns over unauthorised construction and safety violations in densely populated areas of the national capital.
