Toll in Delhi building collapse rises to 64, rescue work still on

NEW DELHI - The toll in the East Delhi house collapse mounted to 64 this morning even as scores of rescue workers were working to pull out people still trapped inside the debris of the structure.

The 15-year-old four-storey building, which had an illegal fifth floor under construction, came crashing down around 8.15 p.m. on Monday

Till now 39 bodies have been taken to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, 16 to the Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, five to the Hedgewar Hospital and one to the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital. Around 80 people have been injured in the incident.

Rescue workers from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), fire department, police, civil defence and locals had worked overnight to remove tons of concrete from the spot and find trapped people.

The building is suspected to have weakened due to the heavy rains in monsoon when water of the Yamuna river flooded the area.

A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

Assuring full government support to the survivors and the next of the kin of the victims, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said: “How can a building be constructed without procuring a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the MCD.”

“It seems to be a “case of negligence” as the accumulated water in the basement for more than two months since the monsoon was not removed,” she added

“The carelessness of the MCD officials and other departments can not be ruled out,” she said. (ANI)