Minor boy killed, man hurt as portion of house collapses

An eight-year-old boy was killed while a 45-year-old man sustained injuries after a portion of a house collapsed in outer Delhi’s Nangloi on Monday morning, the police said.

The incident took place when a toilet constructed on the terrace of the one-storey house collapsed onto the verandah below, causing the ceiling to cave in, they said.

The deceased, Vansh, was the son of a daily wager from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh, who lived in the house as a tenant. The other occupants of the house were safe, the police said.

According to the Delhi Fire Service (DFS), four fire tenders were pressed into service after a call was received regarding the incident at 7.12 am from Rajendra Park Extension in Nangloi. During the rescue operation, the firemen found two persons trapped under the debris.

While Sabir (45) sustained minor injuries and was administered first-aid on the spot, the boy, Vansh, was rushed to the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where he was declared dead, a DFS official said.

“The building was old. Due to the water tank on the terrace, the iron rods were rusted, leading to the collapse,” ADCP (Outer) Manoj Kumar Meena said.

“We are checking the nearby buildings to see if they are in a similar condition. The police have registered a case and action will be taken if any negligence is found,” the officer said.