New Delhi, Nov 16 (NDTV): Sixty people died and at least 80 others were injured as a five-storey residential building collapsed in Lalita Park in east Delhi's Laxmi Nagar area on Monday evening. More than 30 people are believed to be still trapped in the rubble.
According to eyewitnesses, at least 400-500 people were staying in the building which collapsed at 7.30 pm on Monday.
The injured have been admitted to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash, Lalbahadur Shastri and Hedgewar hospitals. A special team of doctors has been assigned to treat the injured at all the three hospitals. According to Delhi Health Minister Kiran Walia, at least 20 ambulances have been pressed into action to carry the injured to various hospitals. Walia visited the building collapse site to assess the situation.
Speaking to NDTV, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said, "30 to 40 people are yet to be rescued. I think this disaster happened because of the carelessness of the builder. I will order an inquiry into the incident."
Dikshit also added that mobile phones have been heard ringing under the debris.
The Delhi government has said the foundation of the old building could have weakened due to the heavy monsoon rain this year when the water of river Yamuna flooded the area. Locals said some water was still there in the basement of the building.
"The cause of the collapse, as far as I know, is the high water level of Yamuna in this area," said a resident of the area.
Locals also claimed that construction of an extra floor was going on when the incident took place.
"There was a lot of water-logging. It was carelessness on the government's part. Five floors of the building were already complete. Another storey was under construction. It would have never collapsed if the work to build that extra storey wouldn't have started," said another resident.
A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident. Police said an adjoining building also faced risk of collapse and hence people have been evacuated from it.
Rescue operation continued throughout the night. Huge mounds of concrete slabs and rubble were seen all around as rescuers, helped by the local residents, faced a tough task extricating people from the debris. Eyewitnesses said they heard shouts for help from under the debris. Locals complained that power cut and absence of cranes hampered the rescue efforts initially. A 250-member disaster management team was helping in rescue efforts.
Five-storey Building Collapses in Delhi- 24 Killed, 40 Injured
Updates at 11.30pm, Nov 15, 2010
New Delhi, Nov 16 (IANS): New Delhi, Nov 15 (IANS) At least 24 people were killed and and more than 40 injured when a five-storeyed house collapsed in east Delhi's Laxmi Nagar Monday night. More than 40 people are believed to be trapped under the rubble, officials said.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said that 24 people were killed in the house collapse.
Dikshit also said that 200-300 people were involved in the rescue operations.
Delhi Fire Service chief fire officer R.C. Sharma said that at least 40 people have been rescued and sent to the hospital. Their condition is said to be critical
According to Municipal Corporation of Delhi, about 70 people were trapped in the collapse.
Eyewitnesses said there were shouts coming from the people trapped under the rubble.
Emergency services and heavy equipment to remove the rubble were delayed in reaching the spot due to the narrow streets of the colony. The darkness and rain also hampered the rescue effort, though local people were removing the concrete pieces by hand.
The injured have been taken to Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Narayan hospital and Lal Bahadur Shastri hospital.
There are several versions for the building collapse. "It seems that the basement of the building was filled with water, which could have caused the collapse," Delhi Finance Minister A.K. Walia told reporters.
But, according to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi official, the main reason could have been illegal construction. "Just three days ago, we prevented another five storey building in Mahavir Enclave from collapsing, by demolishing the illegal structures," he said.
East Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit has rushed to the spot.
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earlier:
Five-storey Building Collapses in Delhi, Scores Injured
New Delhi, Nov 15 (IANS) A five-storey house collapsed in east Delhi's Laxmi Nagar Monday night, leaving at least one person dead and scores injured.
Delhi Fire Service chief fire officer R.C. Sharma said that at least 30 people have been rescued and sent to the hospital. Their condition is said to be critical
According to sources, at least one person was killed in the collapse.
Locals were involved in the rescue work, removing the rubble with hand, amid a drizzle.