India, Nov. 5 -- A loud crash reverberated through a crammed neighbourhood in Old Delhi's Chawri Bazar on Thursday morning. Rushing out of their homes, residents - some jolted awake by the sound and others preparing to leave for work - saw that a three-storey building which was coming up in the locality had collapsed, trapping several labourers under the debris.

It sounded like some heavy machinery had burst, a resident recalled. "It was a very loud bang. People who usually wake up around 11 am were jolted awake by the noise. At first, we thought some heavy machinery had burst, but then we realised that a building had collapsed," said 60-year-old Md Irshad.

A three-storey building which was under construction in Gali Sitara near Chawri ...