Four more bodies have been found in the debris of a collapsed four-storey building in Delhi’s Janta Mazdoor Colony, raising the death toll to six, officials said on Saturday.
A two-year-old girl is among the deceased and eight others were injured.
The victims have been identified as Matloob, 50, the owner of the building; his wife Rabia, 46; and their sons Javed, 23, and Abdulla, 15. Also among the dead are Zubia, 27, and her daughter Fozia, aged two. Their bodies were taken to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital.
Rescue operations are still ongoing, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed at the site to search for anyone who may still be trapped under the rubble. Officials caution that the death toll may rise further as the rescue progresses.
Eight people have been rescued so far. Seven of them were taken to Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital, while one was admitted to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, a senior police officer confirmed.
The building collapsed at approximately 7:04 am on Saturday near Idgah in the Welcome area. By the time police arrived at the scene, three floors had already crumbled.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Sandeep Lamba said the building’s owner, Matloob, lived there with his family. At the time of the incident, the ground and first floors were reportedly vacant. The collapse also damaged nearby buildings, and authorities are now inspecting them for structural safety.
A local resident, Asma, said she heard a loud noise and saw clouds of dust around 7:45 am. “Everyone started shouting and crying,” she said, adding that around ten members of the family were believed to be inside the building.
Another resident, who sustained injuries when debris struck a neighboring structure, said he had been trying to assist in rescuing those trapped. “We hope that they are safe,” he said.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the collapse. Investigations are underway to determine whether structural violations or poor construction played a role.
