At least five people, including four women, were killed and nearly 10 others injured, while many others are feared trapped inside a four-storey building in Delhi's Vishnu Garden area that collapsed on Saturday night.
The injured persons have been admitted to Guru Gobind Singh Hospital. Among the several others who are stuck inside the debris include a minor girl, NDTV reported.
"The building in Vishnu Garden (in Khayala) collapsed and we are conducting a rescue operation. Many are feared to be trapped in the debris of the multi storey building," DCP (West Delhi) Pushpendra Kumar had said on 18 July.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and the Delhi police with the help of eight fire tenders are carrying out rescue operations. They have rescued nine people, including four children so far.
"Two NDRF teams from Ghaziabad, with about 30 men in each, have been rushed to the spot," Hindustan Times quoted a senior NDRF official saying.
The incident took place at C Block near Masjid Khayala area at 9pm on Saturday.
"We received a call about the building collapse at 9.07pm and immediately eight fire tenders were rushed to the spot to rescue the affected people. It is a four-storey building and many people were feared trapped," a fire department official said.
5 dead & 8 injured in Vishnu Garden building collapse; Rescue teams at the spot (Recent visuals) pic.twitter.com/HT2bnybzMI
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 19, 2015
Although the reason behind the collapse is not yet clear, initial reports suggest that digging for construction of a new building at an adjacent plot caused the accident.
"The sewage lines are blocked, road rollers have been used. We complained but no action has been taken. We have been living here for 20 years but there is no proper road. We have even complained to the local MLA, but no action has been taken," NDTV quoted local resident Deepak as saying.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Tilak Nagar Jarnail Singh has put the blame on the municipal corporation for the building collapse.
"I am rushing to the spot. Such incidents keep taking place in Delhi and it is the responsibility of the MCD to make sure that all the building laws are followed while construction," Singh told PTI.
"For this incident too, if there has been any lapse, then it is the responsibility of MCD only. If there are any violations in modifying the structure of the building, then it is the duty of the MCD to make sure that it is done legally," he said.
