Building collapses in Lahori Gate, two labourers killed

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, April 28

The top two floors of a building in north Delh’s Lahori Gate market collapsed today, killing two labourers and injuring two others. 

The police have registered a case of causing death by negligence at the Kotwali police station. They have detained the building owner and the contractor. 

The building constructed in the 1930s was in a dilapidated state. The incident took place at the cloth market in Lahori Gate at about 10.30 am on Thursday.

The four cloth shops located on the ground floor of the building were not open when the building collapsed. There were a few people walking in the street below, even as debris fell. 

Asha Devi, who has been staying on the first floor of the building for the past 40 years, said she was drawn outside by the sound of falling bricks.

“I wanted to tell the labourers to be careful, but just as I began climbing the stairs, I found the roof collapsing. There was dust all around,” said Devi. 

Within a few seconds, the top two floors came crashing down, burying the four labourers there. Devi rushed to her residence and called the police. 

Locals began the rescue operations. Ravi, an employee at one of the garments shop, said he tried to pull out a man trapped in the debris, but was unable to do it. “More people helped me as we removed the debris to rescue him. He was taken through the narrow streets on a hand-pulled cart,” said Ravi. 

A labourer Mange Lal had died on the spot while another, Ram Karan, died during treatment at the nearby Sushruta Trauma Centre. Two others are undergoing treatment for critical injuries. 

Rescue operations by the fire department, National Disaster Response Force, Civil Defence and the police continued for several hours after the incident. Rescuers found it difficult to cut through the debris and check for any more survivors.