3 killed as two buildings collapse in Delhi’s Rohini after heavy rain

Two persons who were rescued alive are Ravi, who was passing by on Ram’s bike when the building fell, and Saddam. They were taken to the BSA hospital. While Ravi escaped with an injured leg, Saddham sustained fractures to the pelvis and arm and is currently stable, hospital officials said.

Two police vehicles, parked near the building, were also damaged in the collapse.

Police had said at least five to seven people were still trapped under the debris, with rescue teams pushing oxygen cylinder pipes into the rubble to help the trapped victims breathe.

The MCD said in a statement that two buildings have collapsed that were coming up on adjacent plots owned by relatives Ram Dua and Vinod in G 5 area of Rohini’s Sector 16 – a middle-class housing colony clustered with buildings no higher than four floors on either side of 30-feet wide roads.

Dua was allegedly in the parking lot of the building when it fell, said sources in the police and NDRF.

According to a source in the MCD, both buildings were compliant with all norms and had the requisite permission for undertaking construction.

During the inspection, it was observed that the buildings – G-4/152 and G-4/153 – had recently been constructed after obtaining building plan sanction under the SARAL Scheme dated April 10, 2025, and March 03, 2025, respectively. Each property has a plot area of around 26 sq m, the MCD said.

It added, “As per enquiries made from local residents and persons present at the site, plumbing work was reportedly being carried out. It has been stated that drilling and/or cutting of structural members such as columns and beams might have been undertaken in connection with the plumbing work.”

“The construction was almost completed about 8-9 months ago and checks were conducted. Recently, work resumed to install some pipes inside,” said a source with MCD.

The MCD said that based on preliminary observations and information collected from the site, the collapse may have been caused by structural failure and/or differential settlement of the foundation.

However, it emphasised that the exact cause could not be conclusively determined at this stage and would be established only after a detailed technical examination.

Immediately after the collapse, residents rushed towards the site after hearing a loud crashing sound followed by cries for help from beneath the rubble.

Before specialised rescue teams arrived, they began removing bricks, broken concrete slabs and twisted iron rods with their bare hands in a desperate attempt to save those trapped. Several people formed human chains to clear debris, while others brought shovels and construction tools from nearby houses and worksites.