Delhi building collapse: 3 students dead, 5 critical; 30-50 feared trapped

Three students were killed and five others were critically injured after a nearly 50-year-old five-storey building housing a boys' paying guest (PG) accommodation collapsed in Delhi's Satya Niketan near Delhi University's South Campus on Sunday afternoon, officials said. Several people were feared trapped under the rubble as rescue operations continued.

The building, known as 'Hostel Daze', collapsed at around 1.30 pm while repair work was underway in its basement. Eight people were pulled out of the debris and taken to hospitals, with two brought dead and another dying during treatment. Five others were in critical condition, police said. The exact number of people trapped remained unconfirmed.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed grief over the incident and said students were being forced to live in unsafe PG accommodations because of a lack of adequate hostels in colleges and universities. He said students were already facing several struggles and that the situation had now become life-threatening.

Locals, however, claimed that 40 to 50 people could still be trapped beneath the debris. Authorities have not confirmed the figure. A BJP MLA at the site said calls were being received from people believed to be trapped inside.

Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force, comprising around 70 personnel, along with a canine squad, were deployed for the rescue operation. Oxygen cylinders were lowered into the rubble to help people trapped beneath the collapsed structure breathe, an NDRF officer said.

Fire tenders and ambulances were stationed at the site, while police and paramilitary personnel worked to keep the narrow lanes clear for rescue vehicles. Residents also joined the operation, using their hands and available tools to search through the debris.

The building had a basement and five upper floors and was reportedly being used as a PG for students from colleges including Motilal Nehru College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharm College and Sri Venkateswara College. A local resident said around 15 rooms were housed in the building, with two to three students staying in each room. Students were reportedly paying around Rs 12,000 per bed.

Locals said water had accumulated in the basement following days of rain and alleged that this may have weakened the foundation. Repair and construction work was also underway there when the building collapsed. These claims have not yet been confirmed as the cause of the collapse.

Delhi has witnessed incessant rain since Friday, adding to concerns about water accumulation and the condition of buildings in the densely populated neighbourhood.

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Residents also raised wider concerns about the conversion of houses into PG accommodations, alleging that several buildings in the area had been extended to five or six floors and were poorly maintained.

An eyewitness said the death toll could have been higher had the collapse occurred on a working day, as many students had gone home for the weekend.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Lieutenant Governor Taranjeet Singh Sandhu, Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj visited the site. Gupta said rescue and relief operations were being carried out on a war footing and that those responsible would not be spared.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he had spoken to the chief minister, police commissioner and National Disaster Management Authority director general about the situation. He said the injured were being provided medical assistance.

Police said the building's owner, who is based in Gurugram, had been identified and seven to eight teams were searching for him. The process of registering an FIR was underway.

Police said the exact number of people trapped or injured was still not known. The cause of the collapse will be established after a detailed investigation into the building's condition, the basement work and other safety-related factors. Rescue operations were continuing