Two people died, and several others sustained injuries after a three-storey under-construction building collapsed in Old Delhi’s congested Chawri Bazar area on Thursday morning.
The disaster occurred at around 9:50 AM in Gali Sitara, located close to the Chawri Bazar Metro Station. The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) dispatched at least six fire units, including water tenders and specialised rescue vehicles, to carry out search operations.
DFS Assistant Divisional Officer Rajesh Shukla confirmed that rescue personnel pulled two bodies from the rubble, while residents rushed four injured victims to a nearby hospital before emergency services arrived.
Eyewitnesses described hearing a loud crash that shook adjacent residences. Resident Mohd Nayeem stated that three to four newly cast lintels collapsed simultaneously at the site, which had been under active construction for the past three to four months.
The tragic collapse comes during the peak Diwali shopping rush, adding to congestion and panic in the busy commercial hub. The incident follows another recent disaster in nearby Chandni Chowk, where a portion of the 160-year-old heritage Town Hall building caved in, raising fresh concerns over structural safety and civic regulation across congested Old Delhi neighbourhoods.
