Delhi building collapse: rescuers wield gas cutters to free trapped victims

When the concrete slab gave way on a busy Delhi street yesterday, the scene turned chaotic within seconds – dust, shattered glass, and a tangle of steel rods jutting out of the wreckage. Neighbors rushed to the site, shouting for help, while the wail of sirens grew louder.

Within minutes, Delhi’s fire‑service squads arrived, their trucks bristling with equipment. The biggest challenge? Those thick metal rods, the kind that hold a building together, now protruding like jagged knives, blocking any straightforward entry. Traditional tools just wouldn’t cut it.

Enter the gas cutter – a handheld torch that, with a hiss and a flash, slices through steel as if it were butter. Rescue personnel, some wearing gloves that looked a little too big, fanned the flame across the rebar, carefully carving a path without destabilising the remaining structure. It was slow work, but every cut meant a little more space for the trapped occupants.

In the cramped void beneath the debris, a family of three huddled, their breaths shallow, waiting for a glimmer of hope. After a tense half‑hour, the cutters finally made enough clearance for the first rescuer to slip through, pulling the father out first, then the children, one after another. By the time the operation wrapped up, six people had been rescued, two more were being tended to for minor injuries, and unfortunately, a few lives were lost.

Paramedics attended to the injured on site, while police cordoned off the area, ensuring curious onlookers kept a safe distance. The incident has sparked renewed calls for stricter building inspections, especially in older neighborhoods where aging structures are more vulnerable.

For now, the city breathes a collective sigh of relief, grateful for the quick thinking of the rescue teams and the stubborn perseverance of those who refused to give up, even as the flames of the gas cutter flickered in the dust‑filled air.