A five-storey building being used as a boys’ paying guest accommodation/hostel collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan area on Sunday afternoon, triggering a major rescue operation.
The Delhi Fire Service received an emergency call at around 1:34 pm. At least eight fire tenders, police personnel, ambulances and multiple rescue teams were deployed. The NDRF also reached the site.
Officials initially said the exact number of people trapped was unknown. Several people were feared to be beneath the rubble, while people rescued from the building were taken to hospital. Later reports said three rescued people were in critical condition at the AIIMS Trauma Centre.
The building has been identified by witnesses as “Hostel Daze”, a boys’ PG accommodation popular with students because of its proximity to Delhi University’s South Campus. Witnesses claimed that more than 15 people could have been inside, although authorities have not confirmed that number.
There are also questions about construction work in the basement and the structural condition of the building. Authorities are investigating whether ongoing construction or structural weaknesses contributed to the collapse.
Why it matters: The incident has again raised concerns over the safety of student PGs and unauthorized construction in densely populated parts of Delhi.