India Building Collapse Claims 9 Lives as Death Toll Climbs

Tragic Collapse: Nine Lives Lost in Delhi’s New Apartment Debacle

What Went Down?

• On Tuesday night, a six‑storey apartment block in Greater Noida let the dust blow.
• The building sank onto a neighboring structure, burying a dozen or more souls—labourers and two families—under tons of concrete and metal.
• By Thursday, emergency crews had extracted four more bodies from the rubble, bringing the death toll to nine.

Police and the Fire Brigade on the Scene

• Heavy‑duty steel cutters, drills, and a squad of 150 workers turned the site into a P.T.O.-style salvage zone.
• Sniffer dogs sifted through the wreckage, aiding the search.
• Chief fire officer Arun Kumar Singh told AFP, “We’ve pulled out four bodies since last night. The search will go on until every scrap is cleared.”

The Legal Fallout

• Four suspects, including the landowner, have been booked on manslaughter charges.
• Twenty more people are slated for questioning—anyone who might’ve tried to raise a roof too cheaply could be on the docket.

Why This Happens so Often in India

• The fast‑growing satellite towns around Delhi are bursting with low‑budget residential complexes.
• Builders often skimp on quality, opting for shoddy materials and shortcuts.
• These collapses spike during the monsoon season (late June‑September), with heavy rains sometimes turning a precarious building into a tragedy.