Two people were killed when a decades-old building in south east Delhi collapsed on Friday morning, police said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police for the south east district Romil Baaniya said the building could be 50 to 60 years old.
Building owner Dhruv Kumar and a worker, Kishan Mandal, were the victims. Mintu Mandal, a worker, was rescued from the debris.
“We were hired to bring down the inner walls of the building. The owner had come to inspect the progress. I saw the bricks coming down and stayed trapped for a few minutes before people rescued me. The owner and Kishan were in the other side of the room and got trapped badly,” said Mintu Mandal.
Police, along with the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and municipal corporation staff rushed to the spot and started the rescue operation after receiving a call at 9.45 a.m. “The walls had become weaker due to rains in the last season. They were planning to renovate the entire compound,” said Shakir Malik, a friend of the owner.
