Tragic structural failure claims two lives in Northeast Delhi

Tragedy struck Northeast Delhi on Sunday evening when an old single-storey structure caved in, killing two individuals. Construction was underway to add a floor to a building located in Milan Garden, Harsh Vihar. During the process of laying a new concrete slab, the weak existing roof gave way, trapping a 60-year-old man, Chanderpal, and his 33-year-old son, Vijay Kumar. Both victims were residents of Gali No. 14 in Harsh Vihar.

Rescue operations concluded

Emergency response teams rushed to the site after receiving a distress call at 6:46 PM. Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force, local police, and Civil Defence immediately began clearing the heavy rubble. Five fire tenders joined the effort, working through the night to reach the trapped individuals. Rescuers eventually pulled the father and son from the debris and transported them to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, where doctors declared them dead on arrival.

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Investigating structural weaknesses

Delhi Ministers Kapil Mishra and Ashish Sood visited the location to oversee the response efforts. Mishra pointed out that the collapse seemingly occurred during the installation of a new lintel. Local residents mentioned that the existing lower slab was visibly weak before contractors began pouring the upper concrete layer. Deputy Commissioner of Police Sandeep Lamba explained the complexities of the operation, noting that navigating the tightly packed neighborhood created immense challenges in locating the specific damaged property. Police have identified the property owner as Manoj Kumar and initiated legal proceedings regarding the incident. Frequent structural failures in the National Capital Territory continue to highlight systemic issues with unauthorized constructions and poor safety standards. Relevant agencies will now conduct a detailed probe to determine the exact circumstances surrounding this fatal incident.