Five-storey building collapses in Delhi's Chandni Chowk

A 100-year-old dilapidated building housing offices, shops and godowns collapsed last night in Delhi's Chandni Chowk, triggering off a minor fire.

Nobody was injured, fire officials said.

Reportedly, the sides of the building had started tilting on Saturday and residents of the area complained about the condition of the building but the authorities had turned a deaf ear.

Sanjay Tomar, assistant divisional officer from Delhi fire service, said the collapse triggered a fire which threatened the nearby shops but was doused within minutes by the fire officials.

"At 00.50 hours we got information in the fire control room that a building has collapsed. Three fire tenders were rushed to douse the fire. Due to the collapse, a fire had started. There was a threat of fire spreading to neighbouring shops, which was immediately brought under control by fire officials. The building was four-storey and as of now no casualty has been reported," said Tomar.

The businessmen whose establishments were in the collapsed building said that the structure fell due to unauthorised construction that was taking place on the top floors.

"There was an electric office along with our travel allowance office in the building. Unauthorised construction was taking place in the building, which I think is the reason that this building has collapsed. Because of the unauthorised construction innocent people have to suffer. Our hard earned money was lost in a minute," said Sarita Ramachandran, owner of a shop in the collapsed building.

The remaining front portion of the old building is also on the verge of collapse, with shutters of shops leaning out.