Emergency crews are urgently searching for survivors after a residential building collapsed in southwest Delhi on Sunday, with fears that dozens of students remain trapped beneath the rubble.
The five-storey structure, known as Hostel Daze, came down at approximately 13:30 local time in the Satya Niketan neighborhood. Eyewitnesses reported that as many as 50 people were inside the hostel, which is located near the Delhi University campus, at the time of the incident.
According to local police, at least one individual has been confirmed dead and two others are in critical condition. Rescue teams have successfully pulled six people from the wreckage so far.
A legislative assembly member present at the scene stated that some trapped students had managed to make phone calls from beneath the debris. Authorities have since evacuated an adjacent building as a precaution after reports it also suffered damage, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta confirmed.
“Every possible effort is being made to safely rescue those trapped,” Gupta said.
Delhi Police indicated that the building was between 40 and 50 years old. A local shop owner told the ANI news agency that the property was under a 100-year lease and that excavation work had been undertaken in the basement to generate additional income.
“They strengthened the upper building, but the pillars below were weak,” the shop owner said, adding that construction workers were also among those buried.
The National Students’ Union of India has demanded a thorough investigation into the cause of the collapse and called for those responsible to be held accountable. “Negligence with the safety of students and common people will not be tolerated at any cost,” the union stated.
Police are currently attempting to locate the building’s owner, according to the Times of India.
Leave a Reply