A late-night excavation near The Lodhi Hotel in central Delhi turned tragic after a wall collapsed on workers digging near a drain, leaving one labourer dead and two others injured.
According to officials, the incident occurred during excavation work being carried out near the drain close to the hotel. The wall suddenly gave way, trapping three workers under the debris.
Police received a call about the collapse at around 1:45 a.m. and immediately rushed to the spot along with teams from the Delhi Fire Services. Rescue operations were launched promptly, with firefighters and emergency personnel working through the night to clear the rubble and locate the trapped workers.
Two labourers were rescued from the debris and shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. However, rescuers faced significant challenges in reaching the third worker, who remained trapped under the collapsed structure for an extended period. After a prolonged operation, he was pulled out from the rubble but was declared dead.
Authorities said JCB machines were deployed during the night to remove the debris and assist in the rescue efforts. Preliminary information suggests that the workers were engaged in drain excavation work when the wall unexpectedly collapsed.
Police have initiated an investigation to determine the cause of the accident and whether any safety lapses contributed to the tragedy.
Crane collapse kills two in Faridabad
At least two workers lost their lives and several others are feared trapped after a heavy crane overturned at an under-construction flyover connecting Noida International Airport in Jewar to Faridabad on Thursday evening, police officials said. Rescue operations are continuing at the site.
The incident occurred near Panhera Khurd in Faridabad during construction work on the Jewar Airport flyover, a key component of the Green Corridor project. According to preliminary information, the crane was lifting a girder when it suddenly lost balance and toppled.
Officials said six to seven labourers were present at the site when the accident took place. The falling crane trapped several workers beneath its structure, triggering an immediate emergency response.
Police teams rushed to the location soon after receiving information about the mishap and launched rescue operations. Construction workers, local residents and emergency personnel joined efforts to locate and free those trapped under the debris.
Heavy machinery has been deployed to speed up the rescue operation, while several injured workers who were pulled out from the site have been shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
Authorities are continuing search and rescue efforts, and the exact number of casualties and trapped workers is yet to be confirmed.
