Building collapse in Meerut’s Zakir Colony claims 10 lives, including five children

Meerut: A tragic incident occurred in Zakir Colony, located in the Lohianagar police station area of Meerut, when a three-storey building collapsed on Saturday evening, leading to the death of 10 people, including five innocent children.

Five others were injured and have been admitted to the hospital, with several of them in critical condition.

The relief and rescue operation continued overnight. Initially police claimed death of two people but with the recovery of eight more bodies, the toll has gone up to 10.

The incident took place around 4:30 pm when the building suddenly collapsed, creating chaos in the area. Local residents, upon informing the police, immediately began rescue efforts. Within minutes of the collapse, local residents began searching for family members trapped under the rubble. Soon after, police, along with teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), worked tirelessly throughout the night, hoping to find survivors amidst the hundreds of tons of debris. Among the deceased were Sajid and his children, who were tragically buried under the rubble.

During the rescue operation, there was a prolong power outage, and the collapse of nearby electric poles disrupted the electricity supply. To ensure adequate lighting for the ongoing rescue work, generators and temporary lighting arrangements were brought in, with assistance from the local community. The rescue operation continued late into the night under these temporary lights.

Neighbour Imran, whose house is located a short distance from the site of the collapse, described the scene as horrifying. He was shaken by the loud explosion-like sound. When the dust settled, all he could see was a mountain of debris. Upon realising that families were trapped under the rubble, he immediately alerted others and began clearing the debris.

Abid, another nearby resident, recounted hearing a loud bang and seeing dust clouds rising in the air. “It felt like a bomb had gone off,” he said. Moments later, cries for help filled the air, and he, too, rushed out to assist in the rescue efforts.

The collapsed building was approximately 50 years old and was home to Nafisa, also known as Naffo (65), her husband Alauddin, and their sons Sajid, Naeem, Nadeem, and Shakir, along with their families. The ground floor of the building housed a dairy where livestock were kept.