Another Building Collapses In Delhi Weeks After Satya Niketan Tragedy, 2 Dead

New Delhi: Two men, believed to be a father and son, died after two slabs of a building collapsed in northeast Delhi on Sunday evening. The victims, Chanderpal, 60, and Vijay Kumar, 33, were trapped under the debris and declared dead after being rescued and taken to hospital. The building, owned by Manoj Kumar, housed a godown on the ground floor, with a structure built above it on the first floor. Both the godown and the first-floor structure collapsed.The incident occurred in the Milan Garden area under the Harsh Vihar police station limits and triggered a large-scale rescue operation involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Services, local police, Civil Defence personnel and residents.According to the Delhi Fire Services, a call regarding the collapse was received at 6:46 pm. Five fire tenders were rushed to the spot and rescue teams began clearing the debris amid reports that two people could be trapped underneath.Divisional Fire Officer Ravinder Singh said the rescue operation continued for nearly 14 hours before being called off. While the operation has concluded for now, teams will remain deployed at the site as a precaution.The latest collapse comes after the Satya Niketan building tragedy that claimed seven lives. The collapsed structure in Satya Niketan, located near Delhi University's South Campus, was being used as a boys' paying guest (PG) accommodation. The building had a basement and five upper floors. The repair work was underway in the basement when the structure gave way.Additional Floor Under ConstructionAdditional DCP Sandeep Lamba said the collapsed structure was originally an old single-storey building and that construction work was underway to add another floor."We received a call that a building had collapsed. The original structure was an old, single-storey building; an additional floor was being constructed on top. The area is completely enclosed, making it difficult to even identify exactly which building collapsed," he said, news agency ANI reported.Before the deaths were confirmed, Delhi ministers Kapil Mishra and Ashish Sood had also visited the site to review the rescue operation.Mishra had said firefighters and NDRF personnel were engaged in rescue efforts and that no fatalities had been reported at that stage."The fire department and NDRF personnel are actively engaged...It is believed that two individuals may be trapped beneath the debris, though there have been no reports of fatalities thus far; efforts are underway to rescue them," he told reporters.#WATCH | Delhi Ministers Kapil Mishra and Ashish Sood arrive at the spot where a building collapsed in Milan Garden, Harsh Vihar, Northeast Delhi. Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra says, "...The fire department and NDRF personnel are actively engaged...It is believed that two individuals may be trapped beneath the debris, though there have been no reports of fatalities thus far; efforts are underway to rescue them. All relevant agencies are fully mobilized. This is, without a doubt, an unfortunate incident, and the circumstances surrounding its occurrence will certainly be investigated. At first glance, it appears that an attempt was being made to install a new lintel; it collapsed, causing the floor below to cave in as well, trapping two people—reportedly a father and his son...The reasons behind the collapses in Seemapuri, Seelampur, Mustafabad, and Babarpur are well-known, and the sites have been inspected. We visited those locations as well, and it is clear that such incidents are a direct consequence of illegal construction"— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2026Calling the incident unfortunate, Mishra said all relevant agencies had been mobilised and that the circumstances leading to the collapse would be examined."All relevant agencies are fully mobilised. This is, without a doubt, an unfortunate incident, and the circumstances surrounding its occurrence will certainly be investigated," he said.He also shared the preliminary assessment of what may have caused the collapse."At first glance, it appears that an attempt was being made to install a new lintel; it collapsed, causing the floor below to cave in as well, trapping two people-reportedly a father and his son," Mishra added.Resident Recounts CollapseA local resident said the collapse appeared to have occurred while a concrete slab was being laid for the additional floor."A concrete slab was being cast for the building. The existing lower slab was weak, and a new one was being laid on top of it. As a result, the lower slab gave way, causing the entire new slab above it to collapse," the resident said.