Couple dead, son injured in roof collapse at Kirari house

An elderly couple died and their son was injured as the roof of their house collapsed in Kirari, New Delhi. Probe underway.

New Delhi

The collapse took place at 2.57am, when the three of them were sleeping. (HT Photo)

An 85-year-old man and his 75-year-old wife died, and their 40-year-old son was injured, when the roof of their house collapsed in the early hours of Wednesday, at Kirari near Prem Nagar, officials of the police and fire department said.

The son was admitted to a hospital and discharged after treatment officials said.

Senior police officials said they were probing the reasons for the roof collapse. “Whether the ongoing monsoon rain caused the roof collapse is also being probed,” an officer, requesting anonymity, said.

A fire department official said three fire tenders and rescue teams were rushed to the spot. “Rescue teams, along with police personnel and locals, removed the debris and rescued an elderly couple and their son who were trapped under the rubble. All three were rushed to a nearby hospital,” the official, not wishing to be named, said.

Deputy commissioner of police (Rohini) Guriqbal Singh Sidhu said that the incident was reported at 2.57am, following which a police team found three people injured in the incident. They were rushed to a hospital, but two were declared dead, he said.

The deceased were identified by their first names as Sukhram, 85, and Gayatri, 75. The injured person was identified as Vinod, 40.

“The preliminary enquiry revealed that roof of the old house collapsed suddenly in the night while the three family members were inside. Whether the collapse has a link with the rain is part of our probe. No foul play into the mishap has been noticed,” DCP Sidhu said.

The bodies of the dead couple were handed over to their relatives after a post-mortem examination in the afternoon. The police have initiated the process of filing an FIR in the incident, officials said.

Praveen Shankar Kapoor, spokesperson for Delhi BJP, said: “Due to the negligence of MCD, two people died due to the collapse of the roof of a dangerous house in Prem Nagar Ward 38. Mayor should tell when the actual survey of dangerous buildings will be done — when the dedicated dangerous building department be formed again. The guilty MCD should immediately compensate the victim’s family.”

Mayor Shelly Oberoi did not respond to requests for comment.