Bapa Nagar building collapse leaves four dead, 14 injured

50 rescuers pull out 18 people from under the rubble in 8-hour-long operation in the densely populated area; the injured say building had developed cracks; found nothing dangerous about structure in our survey: MCD

Three factory workers and a boy were killed and 14 others injured after a five-storeyed building collapsed in central Delhi’s densely populated Bapa Nagar on Wednesday.

The reason behind the incident is yet not clear, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) said in a statement, adding that “nothing dangerous was found” at the building in a pre-monsoon survey conducted by it.

However, those injured alleged that seepage and cracks had developed in several parts of the building and its owner did not heed their repeated requests to carry out necessary repairs.

According to the police, the building’s lower floors served as accommodation for the workers while a slipper manufacturing unit was being run from the upper storeys.

DCP (Central) M. Harsha Vardhan said the deceased were identified as Aman, 12, Mukim, 25, Mujib, 18, and Mosin, 26 — all natives of Khatanagar village in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur.

He said the incident took place around 9 a.m. and that an adjacent building also suffered severe damage.

The DCP said they have registered a case under Sections 106 (causing death by negligence) and 290 (negligent conduct with respect to pulling down or repairing buildings) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

₹10-lakh compensation

Delhi Fire Services (DFS) Deputy Chief S.K. Dua told The Hindu that the rescuers faced a tough time as they reached the site after navigating narrow lanes and that they could not use heavy machines like cranes during their almost eight-hour-long operation.

“We pulled out 18 people from the rubble. A total of 50 firefighters were involved in the operation,” he said. The police said those rescued were taken to RML Hospital, where four of them were declared dead on arrival.

Chief Minister-designate Atishi met the injured at the hospital and announced ₹10 lakh compensation to the kin of each person who died in the incident.

In a post on X, Ms. Atishi said she had ordered the District Magistrate to ascertain the reason behind the incident.

Meanwhile, grieving over his cousin’s death, Rehaan, 17, said Aman had come to the city for his medical treatment and had gone to meet his uncle, who lived in the building.“I haven’t told his mother about the incident yet as she won’t be able to bear the loss,” Rehaan said, adding that the victims were having breakfast when the building caved in.

‘MCD failed in duty’

The BJP slammed the Aam Aadmi Party-ruled MCD, with its Delhi spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor alleging that the civic body did not carry out a survey of building deemed dangerous despite repeated requests by them.

New Delhi BJP Lok Sabha MP Bansuri Swaraj also met those injured at the hospital and visited the site.

Published - September 19, 2024 12:20 am IST