N Delhi: 4, including 9-yr-old girl, killed in building collapse

New Delhi: A building collapsed in north Delhi's Bawana area on Friday afternoon, killing four people, including a woman and a nine-year-old girl, the police here said, adding that two other women were pulled out of the debris and rushed to a hospital, where they are being treated and are out of danger.

The deceased have been identified as Rukaiya Khatun, Shahzad, Afrina (9) and Danish, police said. The rescue operations are almost over now, police officials said.

The fire department officials received information about the incident at 2.48 pm, following which three to four fire tenders rushed to the spot. The police were informed that the building near the Delhi Jal Board had collapsed and four to five people are reportedly buried under debris.

The police rushed to the spot and found that the collapsed building was the part of Rajiv Ratan Aawas in which there were about 300 to 400 flats, a senior police officer said. Three JCB, one hydra machine and two ambulances reached the spot and the rescue operation was started, they said.

"Two women — Fatima and Shahnaaz — both residents of JJ Colony, Bawana were taken out of the debris and sent to MV hospital Pooth Khurd," Deputy Commissioner of Police (outer north) Brijender Kumar Yadav said.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government, in an official statement, said that it was pained to learn about this tragedy, adding that an inquiry had been launched. It said, "An immediate departmental enquiry has been initiated into the matter. The government is closely monitoring the whole situation and it has been brought to light that the building was constructed during 2007-2010. All concerned agencies have been deployed for relief work and the officials are trying their best to rescue all the victims."

Meanwhile, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation denied any liability for the collapse incident, with Standing Committee Chairman Jogi Ram Jain saying, "This building is not under us but the DSIIDC, has been there for over 15 years but the Delhi government doesn't maintain it. There are several other buildings like these but the Delhi government doesn't do any maintenance work. It was built during the Sheila Dikshit government. We have no liabilities."