Two people have died after a slab collapsed at an under-construction house in Milan Garden, in northeast Delhi’s Harsh Vihar area, on Sunday evening, October 25, 2026. Rescue teams worked through the night and were still clearing debris on Monday morning, October 26, while officials worked to establish whether anyone else remained trapped under the rubble.
What happened in Harsh Vihar
The collapse took place at a house in Milan Garden, which falls under the Harsh Vihar police station area in northeast Delhi. The Delhi Fire Service was alerted on Sunday evening — reports put the call at between about 6:40 pm and 7 pm local time — and fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The crash sent residents rushing out of their homes, and a large crowd gathered as emergency teams arrived.
Harsh Vihar Police reached the site soon after the alert, followed by teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Civil Defence and the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA). Rescue workers began clearing the debris by hand and with heavy equipment, including a JCB machine, while local residents also joined the effort.
The rescue operation into Monday
As of Monday morning, the two people trapped under the debris had been pulled out and taken to hospital, where doctors declared them dead, according to Telangana Today and other Monday morning reports. Mathrubhumi, citing officials, likewise reports that two bodies were recovered from the debris on Monday.
Delhi Cabinet Ministers Kapil Mishra and Ashish Sood visited the site on Sunday night to assess the situation and take stock of the rescue operation. Police personnel were deployed at the site to manage the crowd and maintain law and order as emergency responders continued clearing the rubble.
What caused the collapse
According to the initial assessment described by Minister Kapil Mishra, a new lintel was being installed when it collapsed, causing the floor below to give way. A local resident gave a similar account: a new concrete slab was being cast on the upper floor of the house, the building was originally an old, single-storey structure with an additional floor being built on top of it, and the existing lower slab was weak, so it gave way and brought the newly laid slab down with it.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Sandeep Lamba said the building was originally an old, single-storey structure, with another floor being constructed above it. He added that the closely packed surroundings made it difficult for rescue teams to identify exactly which building had collapsed, a factor that slowed the work.
The exact cause of the collapse remains to be established through an investigation, and officials have said the circumstances will be investigated.
Conflicting reports: read this carefully
Monday morning reporting does not yet agree on every detail, and this article does not hide that. Two deaths are confirmed across multiple outlets, including Telangana Today, Mathrubhumi and ABP Live. But reports still differ on whether anyone else remains trapped: ABP Live’s update says one person was pulled out dead while another remained trapped, even as its own summary puts the death toll at two, and other Monday reporting mentions two men feared trapped alongside the recovered bodies.
Earlier on Sunday night, police had said two men, aged 60 and 36, were suspected to be trapped after family members could not reach them by phone, and some family members alleged that rescue work was progressing slowly. Until the debris is fully cleared and officials give a final statement, the full toll and the trapped-persons question should be treated as still developing, not settled.
A wider pattern of Delhi collapses
The Harsh Vihar collapse is not an isolated incident in the capital. In September 2026, the roof of a bakery in a building undergoing renovation collapsed in Tahirpur, also in northeast Delhi, killing the bakery owner and injuring two workers. As in Harsh Vihar, construction work was underway on the floor above when the roof gave way.
Earlier in October, a portion of a multi-storey building collapsed in north Delhi’s Seemapuri area, with many feared trapped, according to the Delhi Traffic Police. The repeat of such incidents during construction on older buildings has raised fresh questions about safety checks and oversight of renovation work in the capital’s dense residential colonies.
Timeline
- September 2026: Bakery roof collapses during renovation in Tahirpur, northeast Delhi; the bakery owner is killed and two workers are injured.
- Earlier in October 2026: Part of a multi-storey building collapses in Seemapuri, north Delhi; rescue teams are sent to the site.
- Sunday, October 25, ~6:40–7:00 pm IST: Delhi Fire Service alerted to the Harsh Vihar collapse; fire tenders dispatched to Milan Garden.
- Sunday evening and night: Harsh Vihar Police, NDRF, Civil Defence and DDMA teams reach the site; debris clearance begins; Ministers Kapil Mishra and Ashish Sood visit the site.
- Sunday night: Police say two men, aged 60 and 36, are suspected trapped; family members raise concerns after being unable to reach them by phone.
- Monday, October 26, morning: Two deaths confirmed across multiple outlets; two bodies recovered from the debris; clearance work continues and the exact cause is under investigation.
- Next: Debris clearance continues; officials to confirm the final toll, whether anyone else was trapped, and what caused the structural failure.
What happens next
Rescue teams will continue clearing the debris until they can confirm whether anyone else is trapped underneath. Police and civic agencies are expected to examine the structure and the construction work to establish why the slab failed and whether the additional construction had the required permissions. Any final official statement on casualties will come only after the rescue operation concludes and the debris is fully cleared.
Frequently asked questions
Where did the Delhi building collapse happen?
The collapse took place at an under-construction house in Milan Garden, in the Harsh Vihar area of northeast Delhi, under the Harsh Vihar police station’s jurisdiction.
When did the Harsh Vihar collapse occur?
On Sunday evening, October 25, 2026. The Delhi Fire Service was alerted at between about 6:40 pm and 7 pm local time, according to differing Monday reports.
How many people died in the collapse?
Two deaths are confirmed across multiple Monday morning reports. Reports still differ on whether anyone else remains trapped, so the full toll should be treated as still developing until officials give a final statement.
Which agencies are involved in the rescue?
The Delhi Fire Service, Harsh Vihar Police, the National Disaster Response Force, Civil Defence and the Delhi Disaster Management Authority are all at the site.
What caused the roof slab to collapse?
The exact cause is not officially confirmed and is under investigation. Minister Kapil Mishra said the initial assessment suggested a new lintel being installed collapsed, causing the floor below to give way, and a local resident gave a similar account involving a weak old slab under a newly cast slab.
Has this happened in Delhi before?
Yes. In September 2026, a bakery roof collapsed during renovation work in Tahirpur, northeast Delhi, killing the bakery owner and injuring two workers, and earlier in October a multi-storey building partly collapsed in Seemapuri.
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