What rescuers saw: ‘Small concrete jungle’ & precarious adjacent building

New Delhi: The challenges before the Saidulajab rescue personnel on Saturday were complex. Before them were many tonnes of debris piled high in a small area, which could only be accessed by narrow roads. Another problem was a destabilised building next to the one that had collapsed.

Given the circumstances, the rescuers chose to go for limited use of heavy machinery to avoid endangering victims trapped beneath the rubble.

Speaking to TOI, rescuers described the site as a “small concrete jungle”. There was a massive amount of debris from the collapsed structure. Even after a full day and a night of debris removal, 50% of the rubble remained at the site. “That limited area had debris of six floors of concrete. We have transported over 100 truckloads of debris by Monday noon,” an NDRF officer said.

The adjacent four-storey building that was severely affected by the collapse had heavy generators on the terrace. Rescuers feared they could fall if the building shook too much. Drilling machines and other equipment used during the operation and passing Metro trains were also adding to the vibrations.

“Extreme caution was maintained so that the rescue operation itself did not trigger another collapse,” the official said.

On Saturday, rescue teams were unable to use JCBs extensively as several victims were trapped under the debris. Officials said aggressive excavation could have struck those trapped under the concrete, injuring them or even causing deaths. The teams removed the rubble in a controlled and methodical manner to maximise the chances of locating survivors.

The building’s reinforced concrete structure was also another hurdle. Large concrete slabs were intertwined with steel reinforcement bars, which frequently became entangled with the JCB’s bucket during debris removal. This too slowed the clearing process.

The narrow, congested lanes meant that bringing in heavy vehicles was a problem. “Only one truck can enter the area at a time to remove the debris,” a rescuer said.

A porcelain cutting machine was deployed during the operation to extricate people stuck under the concrete.

Several hindrance cutters broke while cutting through the heavy concrete, twisted metal, and debris during the operation.