Tragic Building Collapse in Delhi’s Shakti Vihar Claims 11 Lives, Sparks Investigation into Structural Negligence
In a heart-wrenching incident in the early hours of Saturday, a four-storey residential building in Delhi’s Shakti Vihar area, located within the Mustafabad locality of north-east Delhi, collapsed, leaving 11 people dead, including three children, and injuring at least 11 others.
The catastrophic collapse took place around 3 AM, when most of the building’s residents were fast asleep. The structure came crashing down in what experts described as a “pancake collapse” — a particularly dangerous and often fatal scenario where each floor falls vertically onto the one below, leaving little room for survivors trapped in the debris.
Nearby CCTV cameras captured the chilling moment the building disintegrated into a heap of rubble, sending a dense cloud of dust billowing into the narrow lane, and alerting neighbors who rushed out in panic.
According to police reports, 22 people were inside the 20-year-old building when it crumbled, many of them tenants and family members of the owner, 60-year-old Tehseen.
Tragically, Tehseen and six members of his immediate family lost their lives in the incident.
His grieving brother, Bhulan, speaking to reporters at the site, said in anguish: “We have lost an entire generation in the blink of an eye.”
Early investigations suggest the collapse may have been triggered by unauthorized construction work underway on the ground floor, which likely compromised the building’s structural integrity.
Residents reported that for the past several days, construction and renovation activity had been ongoing in at least two or three shops on the building’s lower level.
Additionally, long-standing issues related to water seepage and sewage leaks weakening the foundation had reportedly been raised by residents on multiple occasions but were never adequately addressed, according to local accounts.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has since confirmed that the building was structurally unstable and has pledged to conduct a thorough survey of similarly aged and potentially unsafe buildings in the area to prevent further tragedies.
A formal case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) for negligence, unauthorized construction, and endangerment to human life.
Authorities have vowed to hold accountable anyone found responsible for the structural failure.
Rescue operations were launched immediately after the collapse, involving teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Police, the Delhi Fire Service, and local volunteers.
Due to the dense and congested nature of the locality, the use of heavy machinery had to be limited to avoid further risks of secondary collapses.
NDRF Deputy Inspector General Mohsen Shahidi remarked, “In collapses of this nature, the chances of survival are heartbreakingly low, and the confined surroundings made our rescue efforts especially challenging.”
Leaders across the political spectrum, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of life.
The Prime Minister announced ex gratia compensation for the families of the deceased and the injured, while Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the site and assured all necessary assistance for affected families.
As the rescue operation concluded late in the evening, the focus has now shifted to ensuring the safety of other buildings in the area, offering aid to the injured, and providing shelter for the displaced.
