2 children, pregnant woman among 3 dead in Seemapur building collapse in Delhi; 8 injured

Anwar's brother-in-law Asghar told HT that the structure had been a single-storey building until about a year ago, when construction began on four additional floors. "Till a year ago, it was a single storey structure where Anwar ran a scrap shop. In 2025, the family began constructing the other four floors. Four months ago, when the work finished, they all moved here," he said.

At least three people - two children and a four-month pregnant woman - were confirmed dead and eight injured after a five-storey building collapsed in northeast Delhi's Seemapuri on Wednesday, trapping 11 people under its debris, police said. The death toll could be higher, as much as six, hospital officials said, citing the recovery of multiple body parts from the site.

The latest in a series of building-related tragedies to hit the Capital this year, the collapse once again brought into focus enforcement failures surrounding construction and structural safety in the city.

Family members search as rescue ops continue

The building collapsed around 3.30pm in the cramped lanes of New Seemapuri, where locals rushed to help firefighters clear debris from the side of an Eidgah that was the only access point.

The scale of the rescue operation became clear as the hours passed. An HT reporter at the spot saw the first body, that of one of the children, being pulled from the debris at 7.20pm. The body of the woman was recovered around 8.15pm. Police later identified her as 21-year-old Gulafsa, who was four months pregnant.

Her sister Sameena, who lives nearby, stood among residents waiting for her rescue and pleaded with those at the site to help. "She doesn't even live here. She was just visiting our mother. On the phone, she said that her four-year-old daughter and the daughter of the owner of the building are stuck with her. She was having trouble breathing," she said.

Deputy commissioner of police (Shahdara) Rajendra Prasad Meena said they have so far confirmed three deaths, but several body parts have been recovered, which may be from more victims.

Circumstances of building collapse

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), in a statement, said the building was at least 20-25 years old and stood in a jhuggi-jhopadi (JJ) cluster under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB).

The owner, Mohammed Anwar, is a mason who also operated a scrap dealership from the ground floor of the building. Police said they had not been able to trace him until the time of going to press. Investigators and rescue officials said Anwar lived with his family on the two floors above the scrap shop, while the two floors above his residence were rented out to two separate families.

Anwar's brother-in-law Asghar told HT that the structure had been a single-storey building until about a year ago, when construction began on four additional floors. "Till a year ago, it was a single storey structure where Anwar ran a scrap shop. In 2025, the family began constructing the other four floors. Four months ago, when the work finished, they all moved here," he said.

The circumstances surrounding the collapse, however, remained contested. An MCD spokesperson said, "As per the statements of the neighbours, the building developed cracks due to the earthquake on Tuesday night."

Anwar's daughter Ameena, however, alleged demolition work at the neighbouring building may have contributed to the collapse. She said the adjoining building was being demolished after the MCD had issued a notice for violations a few days ago.

List of injured released

All the injured survivors pulled from the debris were rushed to the Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) hospital emergency department, which is currently operating from the campus of Rajiv Gandhi Hospital in Dilshad Garden. Officials at the hospital, who asked not to be identified, said that they have received several body parts. "The toll could be as high as six," the official said.

Police released a list of those injured. They included Anwar's 50-year-old wife Salma; Abdaan, 3, the son of Anwar's daughter Nusrat; Anwar's 28-year-old son Abdul Rehman; 35-year-old Sakina, a tenant living on the floor above Anwar's house, and her 30-year-old brother Samad; 56-year-old Momin Mirja; 28-year-old Devruddin, who lived in houses adjacent to the building; and 34-year-old Chote, whose connection to the site was not known until the time of going to press.

The condition of those trapped under the debris made the rescue operation difficult. A hospital official told HT that two of the bodies received at the facility were so severely crushed that their gender could not initially be determined.

The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also faced significant challenges at the site, including narrow lanes that made it difficult to bring in cranes. An NDRF official, who asked not to be named, said the concrete slabs had fallen in large blocks over the debris, making their removal slow and hazardous.

"The lantens (slabs of concrete) have fallen as big blocks on the debris. They are being removed using cranes and that is time consuming."

The chief minister's office said teams from the Delhi Fire Service, Delhi Police, Delhi Disaster Management Authority, MCD, CATS and NDRF were deployed to the site. "Every effort is being made to safely rescue those trapped under the debris and provide prompt medical care to the injured," it said.