A three-storey under-construction building collapsed in Delhi's Rohini on Wednesday evening, trapping several people under the debris.
Two people have been rescued so far as teams from the police, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), fire department and other emergency services, assisted by local residents, launched a search and rescue operation.
The building collapsed around 4.20 pm near an MCD school in Rohini Sector 16, amid heavy rainfall in several parts of the national capital. Authorities, however, have not confirmed whether the rain played any role in the incident.
The Delhi Fire Services deployed four rescue teams to the site, with efforts continuing to locate and rescue those feared trapped beneath the rubble.
Immediately after the collapse, panicked residents rushed to the site after hearing a loud crash and cries for help from beneath the rubble.
Before specialised rescue teams arrived, locals began removing broken bricks, concrete slabs, and twisted iron rods with their bare hands in a desperate attempt to reach those trapped.
Some residents also formed human chains to shift debris, while others brought shovels and other tools from nearby houses and construction sites.
The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) rushed multiple rescue vehicles to the spot, while police, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other emergency agencies joined the operation. The area around the collapsed structure was cordoned off to facilitate rescue work.
Several videos of the rescue operation surfaced on social media, capturing the tense atmosphere at the site. One video released by the DFS showed rescuers using hydraulic cutters and specialised equipment to carefully remove heavy concrete slabs without causing further harm to those trapped underneath.
