New Delhi: A labourer died and three others suffered injuries after an old multistorey building collapsed during demolition work in central Delhi’s Karol Bagh Friday morning.The incident occurred around 11.15 am at a property on Pyare Lal Road in Regarpura. The building was being demolished by a private contractor engaged by its owners. A preliminary inquiry found that permission for the demolition had not been obtained from the agency concerned.Police said labourers were working at the site when the structure collapsed, trapping workers under the debris. Following an alert, police personnel and Delhi Fire Services teams reached the spot and launched a rescue operation.Among the affected labourers, Sheikh Shamshad suffered severe injuries and later died. His body has been shifted to a hospital mortuary for post-mortem examination, said police.Another worker, Mohammad Ayub, suffered a head injury and a fracture in his right hand. He was rescued from the debris and taken to a hospital. Police said his condition is critical.A third labourer, Sheikh Saidul, suffered injuries to his limbs and is undergoing treatment. A fourth worker, Rafik Ul, suffered minor injuries and returned home after treatment.Investigators have detained the building owners and the contractor for questioning. They are examining the circumstances under which the demolition work was undertaken and whether mandatory permissions and safety measures were in place.Delhi Fire Services said portions of the upper floors collapsed during the demolition work, injuring the labourers. Officials said legal action would be initiated after verification of facts and assessment of the circumstances that led to the collapse.In a statement, MCD said it received a complaint from the Karol Bagh zonal control room about the collapse of a portion of a building at 3512/6, Pyare Lal Road. The civic body said its field staff reached the site within 10 minutes and found that the owners were carrying out the demolition themselves. Barricades made of GI sheets had been installed around the building.According to MCD, the incident occurred while labourers were engaged in the demolition work.An MCD official said the building was around 100 years old and was being demolished, a process that usually does not require permission. “During the inspection, it was found that a wall had collapsed, leading to the accident,” the official said.
