A three-storey commercial building collapsed in Delhi's Azad Market area in the early hours of Friday. A 46-year-old man was killed in the incident.
Manoj Sharma, an employee at one of the shops housed in the building, was trapped under the collapsed structure. He was pulled out of the debris and taken to the Hindu Rao Hospital, where he was later declared dead, reported PTI.
He said Sharma had been an employee of the shop for nearly three decades. Officials said that a truck parked in front of the building was also severely damaged.
According to the Delhi Fire Services, a call about the building collapse near Mithai Pull at Lohia Chowk was received at 1:56 AM. Three fire engines were rushed to the site.
By 6:50 am, fire officials reported that the "ground-plus-two (G+2) structure comprising three shops and godowns had collapsed". The shops were on the ground floor, and the storage areas were on the upper floors. "The shops formed part of the Azad Market cluster and primarily sold bags and canvas cloth," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Delhi) Raja Banthia, Reported PTI.
Sharma was working at shop number 7A owned by Gulshan Mahajan. "He had been employed there for around 30 years," the DCP said, adding there was no report of any other casualty.
A case is being registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 106(1) (causing death by negligence) and 290 (negligent conduct with respect to pulling down, repairing or constructing buildings), and an investigation has been initiated to ascertain the cause of the collapse.
