3 min readNew DelhiJul 13, 2025 05:00 AM IST
First published on: Jul 13, 2025 at 05:00 AM IST
A pile of rubble haphazardly dumped into an alleyway as if it were a construction site — this was the first glimpse for a passerby on Saturday after a four-storey building fell to pieces in North East Delhi’s Welcome area, killing six members of a family.
For the rescue workers, one of the biggest challenges was navigating the alley, barely three feet wide, to reach the site of the incident. Another challenge was the use of heavy machinery, which could pose a risk to the closely packed buildings. The rescuers then had no option but to get down to the basics — clearing the rubble using bare hands.
Along with the rescuers from the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), police officers, MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) workers, and locals formed a long human chain. The pieces of rubble were then passed from one person to another before being deposited into a lone wooden cart, parked outside the alley. At the same time, another team tried to remove an electricity pole, which had toppled due to the collapse, as it rested against a building.
Fuzail Ansari, one of the residents, was jolted awake by a loud thud on Saturday morning. “I came out and saw nothing but dust everywhere. I could see where the dust was coming from. I saw some people running out, but I knew there would be people stuck inside. So I took Allah’s name and ran in,” he recalled.
The official also pointed out that most of the buildings in the area were not built in compliance with the safety standards
Aqil Ahmed, another resident, also ran out of his house into the dust cloud, hoping to offer help. “What is the use of my body? It’ll melt and rot inside a coffin in my grave one day. I might as well put it to some good use,” he said.
As people in the human chain dumped rubble in the lone cart, two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) stood by, silently watching.
“We cannot take our trucks and JCBs into the narrow lane. The operation will have to be done manually. This is why we have two NDRF teams here, since we need more hands on deck,” a senior NDRF official said.
The official explained that even handheld drill machines and cutters could not be used to cut through the rubble faster. “Two neighbouring buildings have been affected. The walls of both buildings came down due to the collapse. If we use heavy machinery like drills, which emit loud vibrations, whatever is left will also come down. I cannot risk the lives of my men in such a situation,” he added.
The official also pointed out that most of the buildings in the area were not built in compliance with the safety standards. “There are buildings here that have four to five floors, and they don’t have a single pillar supporting their ceilings. In such cases, those areas are highly dangerous to live in and there are higher risks of collapse,” he said.
During rescue operation at the building collapse site on Saturday (Express/Praveen Khanna) 
The official also pointed out that most of the buildings in the area were not built in compliance with the safety standards
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