A similar pattern of alleged negligence emerged in the Sept 6 collapse in southwest Delhi’s Satya Niketan, which killed seven people, including five students and two labourers.
Delhi Fire Service data paints a worrying picture, with 36 deaths reported in house-collapse incidents from Jan to Oct 2026. The data says that the fire department received 396 calls related to house collapses till Oct 26. 139 were rescued While 36 people lost their lives. A similar pattern of alleged negligence emerged in the Sept 6 collapse in southwest Delhi’s Satya Niketan, which killed seven people, including five students and two labourers.
Faulty construction and structural weaknesses were the main contributors to the collapses, according to a fire department official. In May, the collapse of a five-storey building in Saidulajab, which claimed six lives, was attributed to multiple violations, including the construction of unauthorised additional floors, the use of substandard building materials and disregard for mandatory building safety norms, according to the inquiry. In many cases, the foundation is simply not equipped to withstand this additional weight, which can weaken the structure and eventually lead to a collapse,” said Atul Garg, former director of Delhi Fire Service.
Investigations into a series of building collapse incidents have repeatedly pointed to construction-related negligence, unauthorised modifications and violations of building safety norms. “Many old buildings were constructed with foundations designed to support only the original structure. Over the years, additional floors are added, increasing the load on the foundation beyond its capacity.