The death toll in the Seemapuri building collapse in east Delhi rose to five on Thursday as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi cleared debris from the site and prepared to dismantle damaged portions of adjoining structures in the densely populated locality.
The four-storey building collapsed onto the road, affecting residents and passersby, according to North-East Delhi District Magistrate Ajay Kumar. Nine people were rescued, while two more bodies were recovered between 4 am and 5 am after the initial rescue operation, MCD Shahdara North Zone Chairman Pankaj Luthra said.
Shahdara North Zone Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar said nearby buildings had also suffered partial damage. The civic body is removing the debris before taking up the demolition of affected portions, he said, adding that the structures would be dismantled gradually so that surrounding buildings are not affected.
The clearance operation was expected to be completed by Friday, officials said. The work is being carried out cautiously because the site is located in a congested area where buildings stand on small plots and have thin walls, according to the district magistrate.
Kumar said an adjoining building had been undergoing demolition for the previous three to four days using vibrating machinery. He said buildings in the area often support one another because of the closely packed plots and thin walls. It appeared that the failure of one structure may have triggered the collapse, he said, but added that the exact cause would be established through a magisterial inquiry.
The sequence places the immediate response on two fronts: clearing the collapsed structure while preventing further damage from the adjoining buildings. The MCD’s decision to remove debris before dismantling affected portions reflects the operational risk of carrying out demolition in a tightly built neighbourhood, where work on one structure can affect adjacent buildings.
Luthra said he reached the site around 4 pm after receiving information about the incident and remained there until midnight. Aam Aadmi Party MLA Veer Singh Dhingan claimed that local residents had reported seven to eight deaths and demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore for each deceased person. The official death toll stated by authorities was five, while the magisterial inquiry is expected to establish the cause of the collapse.
