Three people, including a pregnant woman, died while 11 others were injured after a four-storey building collapsed in Delhi's Seemapuri. The rescue effort continued till late night on Wednesday at the site. Witnesses recall moments when the building crumbled, sending shockwaves throughout the area.
Witnesses said that a loud explosion-like sound was heard in the entire area, accompanied by a cloud of dust and smoke. For a few moments, people felt as if an earthquake had struck. The dust cloud prompted people to rush to the collapse site, where there was screaming and shouting.
Even before the relief and rescue teams arrived, the local people showed courage and pulled out four people trapped in the debris and took them to the hospital.
Babu Khan, one of the protesters, said, "I was standing outside the street when the accident occurred. Suddenly, there was a loud noise, and within moments, a cloud of dust engulfed the building. It felt like an earthquake had struck. When I ran towards the building, there was screaming and shouting all around."
"I had never seen such a scene in my life. I couldn't understand what to do. Smoke was all around, and people were screaming for help. Thanks to the prompt action of the locals, four people were pulled from the rubble before the rescue team arrived," Ismail.
Hope of a life beneath each block removed
Immediately after the incident, a crowd of people gathered in the narrow alley. People tried to reach those buried inside by removing debris with their hands. Police and fire teams arrived at the scene shortly after.
A team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also reached the site to lead the rescue effort. Using state-of-the-art equipment and trained personnel, the search for those trapped under the rubble began.
Throughout the rescue operation, people at the scene kept their eyes fixed on the fire brigade and NDRF personnel. With indications of victims' presence during the removal of debris, the crowd surged forward to witness and pull them out.
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The narrow street posed the greatest challenge in the rescue and relief operations after the accident. However, the rescue team found relief when an open path from the Eidgah side allowed fire engines and other relief equipment to reach the scene. Residents also assisted in providing access and crowd control.
(With inputs from Mohammad Saqib)