Rescue work at the site of the collapse on Sunday. (AP)

New Delhi, Feb. 11: A four-storeyed residential building collapsed in west Delhi this evening, killing at least eight people, including three children.

While fire fighters rescued eight people buried under the debris, five more may still be trapped.

The 10-year-old building — F-225 in the Madipur area of Punjabi Bagh — came crumbling down around 6 pm as rains battered the capital.

Police said the building, where a family of six lived, had not been maintained properly.

“Our initial investigations suggest that cracks had started appearing in the building. Nothing was done about them,” deputy commissioner of police (west Delhi) Robin Hibu said.

Officials said at least four of the dead belonged to the family. The rest of the victims were either visiting the house or passing by on the street below.

The police said the family used to live on the fourth floor. The rest of the floors housed a factory unit run by them. “Shoes and bags used to be stitched in the unit,” Hibu said.

Those rescued have been taken to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital.

“Doctors told us their condition is critical,” said Lakhvinder Singh Yadav, station house Officer at Punjabi Bagh police station, who visited the injured at the hospital.

Singh added that the youngest among the dead was a five-year-old boy.

The Delhi government has announced compensations of Rs 1 lakh for the families of the dead and Rs 20,000 for the injured.