New Delhi:
"It felt like an earthquake", said Mohd Akram, a resident of Bara Hindu Rao area in north Delhi, where a three-storey building came crashing down this morning, killing the owner and his son.
The structure belonged to 65-year-old Mohd Naqi, who owned a shop and restaurant in the congested Azad Market area. His body was found in the debris nearly three hours after the collapse. His 37-year-old son Mohd Naqees also died.
Another son is recovering in hospital.
The narrow and crowded lane made rescue work difficult, forcing people to use small hand-pushed carts to transport the debris.
Mohd Aamir, a nephew of the building owner, said, "They had recently renovated their house. It was in good condition. Don't know how it just crashed down without warning."
The police claimed the building was over a hundred years old and was also served notice.
Neighbours say, however, that the civic body does conduct surveys here but no residents have been asked to vacate their complexes.
Mohd Akram, who has lived here for decades says, "People in this locality are conscious. If we feel any structures are weak we take precautions ourselves. This is the first time something like this has happened in this area."
The incident highlights safety hazards in colonies like this, just outside the old Walled City, where several old, unstable buildings defy civic guidelines.
The narrow by-lanes, construction of new floors on existing structures and a multitude of low rent payees who are unable to afford the upkeep of the buildings, are all signs of more disasters waiting to happen.