Child killed, eight rescued after building collapses in Delhi's Seemapuri

A child was killed and eight people were rescued after a four-storey building collapsed in northeast Delhi's Seemapuri area on Wednesday, with several others feared trapped under the rubble, officials said.

The Delhi Fire Service received a call about the collapse at around 3.30 pm and rushed fire engines and rescue teams to the site.

"Search and rescue operation is ongoing," a fire service official said.

According to local residents and family members, five people were still missing as rescue teams continued to search through the debris.

Visuals from the spot showed large crowds gathered around the collapsed structure, with residents attempting to clear slabs and debris with their bare hands. Several people were also seen recording the rescue operation on their mobile phones.

A local resident said some people had been rescued by residents and taken to nearby hospitals.

"Police came after half an hour. There is a child still trapped and some have been rescued by people and sent to hospitals. I have given CPR myself. Two to three people have been sent to hospital," the resident said.

The Delhi Traffic Police urged people to stay away from the area to ensure that ambulances and rescue vehicles could move quickly.

"Traffic is affected around Seemapuri Gol Chakkar, DLF Bhopura and adjoining roads," it said in a post on X, asking people not to stop, park or gather near the site and to follow directions from traffic personnel.

Local residents claimed that the building had developed cracks following tremors felt in Delhi-NCR after an earthquake in Uttarakhand on Tuesday night.

Officials, however, said the exact cause of the collapse would be determined only after an investigation.

The incident comes about a month after a building collapse-related tragedy in Satya Niketan in Delhi in which seven people were killed and several others injured.

Rescue and search operations were continuing at the Seemapuri site.