Devastating Delhi Building Collapse Claims 11 Lives
In a tragic incident in Delhi’s Shakti Vihar, a four-storey residential building collapsed in the early hours of Saturday, April 19, 2025, killing 11 people, including three children, and injuring 11 others, according to officials cited by The Financial Express. The structure, located in the Mustafabad area of northeast Delhi, succumbed to a catastrophic “pancake collapse,” a term used by authorities to describe a rapid and deadly structural failure where floors collapse onto one another.
The collapse occurred around 3 a.m., trapping over 20 residents under the debris. Emergency response teams, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Services, and local police, launched a rescue operation that lasted more than 12 hours. CCTV footage captured the moment the 20-year-old building crumbled, showing a massive cloud of dust engulfing the narrow alley in Gali No. 1. Among the deceased was the building’s landlord, 60-year-old Mohammed Tehsin, a property dealer who lived with his family of 12 on the first floor and operated an office from two shops on the ground floor.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the removal of a load-bearing wall during recent renovations may have compromised the building’s stability, as reported by Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials. Authorities also noted that ongoing construction work in two or three ground-floor shops could have contributed to the disaster. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed grief over the loss of life and ordered a probe into the incident, vowing strict action against those responsible. In a statement on X, Gupta emphasized the involvement of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and other agencies in relief efforts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. President Droupadi Murmu also conveyed her condolences, describing the incident as “extremely sad” and expressing solidarity with the bereaved families. Delhi police have registered a case of negligence and are investigating the cause of the collapse, with recent rains and storms also considered a possible factor.
The tragedy has highlighted concerns about illegal constructions in areas like Mustafabad, with Mustafabad MLA Mohan Singh Bisht alleging that the MCD failed to act on prior complaints about unauthorized buildings. The MCD has since been instructed to inspect and vacate nearby unsafe structures to prevent future incidents. The collapse, which claimed seven members of a single family, has left the community in mourning, with survivors and locals grappling with the shock of the sudden disaster.
