Delhi building collapse: Rescue operations underway in Seemapuri

A multi-storey residential building has collapsed in northeast Delhi's Seemapuri area, leaving several people feared trapped under the rubble.

Emergency services were alerted to the collapse near the Idgah Machhli Mandi in New Seemapuri at around 3:30 pm on Wednesday. The Delhi Fire Services immediately dispatched three water tenders along with an incident response team to begin search and rescue operations.

Initial reports on the size of the structure varied, with officials describing it as a three or four-storey house. As rescue workers sifted through the debris, local authorities urged people to stay away from the site. The Delhi Traffic Police issued an urgent advisory warning of heavy congestion around Seemapuri Gol Chakkar, DLF Bhopura, and adjacent roads.

"Please avoid the area if possible," the traffic police said in a statement. "Do not stop, park or gather near the site, and follow the directions of traffic personnel." The department emphasised that keeping the roads clear is vital to ensure ambulances and rescue vehicles can reach the scene without delay.

What happens next

It is not yet clear how many people were inside the building when it fell, or what caused the structure to fail.

The incident comes just weeks after a five-storey building in southwest Delhi’s Satya Niketan area caved in on 6 September, killing seven people and injuring several others. That collapse triggered a wider crackdown by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on dangerous and unauthorised structures across the capital.

Only a day before Wednesday's collapse, the civic body had carried out demolition drives in several parts of the city, including Old Seemapuri. Authorities have not yet said whether the collapsed building had been flagged during those enforcement drives.