Fatal Collapse in Delhi's Satya Niketan
Three people have died after a five-storey building collapsed in Delhi's Satya Niketan area, under the South Campus police station, on Sunday afternoon. The building housed a paying guest (PG) accommodation where students from several Delhi University colleges were staying, as reported by the Free Press Journal.
Eight injured students have so far been pulled out of the debris and shifted to AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital for treatment. According to AIIMS authorities, four injured people have been admitted there, with two reported to be in critical condition. Several others are still feared trapped under the rubble, the report added.
The collapse took place at around 1:30 pm, according to local residents. Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Services and police, along with local residents and Delhi University students, have been involved in the operation.
Rescue Efforts and Trapped Students
A purported video of a student trapped under the debris has surfaced, showing a student identified as Aditya Kumar lying under the rubble. The 11-second clip, reportedly recorded by Kumar and sent to a friend while seeking help, shows his face covered in dust and traces of blood, yet he appears alert and turns the camera to show the debris around him. NewsX reported that the video was also shared by NSUI, the student wing of the Congress, whose workers are present at the site assisting with rescue efforts.
Officials believe around 30-50 students may still be trapped under the debris, according to NewsX. The incident took place at Hostel Daze, a five-storey PG accommodation in the congested Satya Niketan area. The collapse caused panic, and a "sudden tremor" sent people living in nearby buildings rushing outside.
BJP MLA Anil Sharma, who reached the spot, said rescuers were receiving calls from people stuck under the debris. "We are even getting calls from those who are trapped inside. Teams are continuously in touch with those who are trapped inside; we pray to god that all people are safe," he said, according to news agency PTI, as quoted by NewsX.
Multiple agencies are working at the site, including DDMA, NDRF, Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, MCD, CTS and Delhi Civil Defence. Delhi Civil Defence deputy warden Sumer Kumar said the congested lane was making the operation difficult.
Cause and Background
Preliminary information suggests that construction work was underway in the building's basement when one of the pillars may have developed a crack, possibly triggering the collapse. However, the exact cause will be established only after a detailed investigation, the Free Press Journal reported.
Local residents said the building, spread over around 80 square yards, was old and had remained vacant for years because of its poor condition and limited number of pillars. Shops were located on the ground floor but reportedly struggled to attract tenants. A company leased the property last year and renovated it, after which a PG facility was started. The number of students living there increased significantly this year.
Satya Niketan is located close to Delhi University's South Campus and has several colleges, including Sri Venkateswara College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, Motilal Nehru College, Aryabhatta College, Jesus and Mary College and Maitreyi College. The residential locality has seen a rise in PG accommodations due to high demand from students.
Official Response
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the site after the collapse and reviewed the rescue operation from the terrace of a nearby temple, as reported by the Free Press Journal.
The incident comes just three months after six medical students were killed when a five-storey building collapsed in Saidulajab on May 30, according to the Free Press Journal.