NEW DELHI: At least one person was killed and three others were critically injured after a five-storey building housing a boys’ paying guest accommodation collapsed in south Delhi’s Satya Niketan area on Sunday afternoon, officials said.
The building, known as ‘Hostel Daze’, is located near Nanakpura Gurdwara, close to Delhi University’s South Campus. A PCR call regarding the collapse was received at South Campus police station at around 1.34 pm, police said.
Rescue operations were underway at the site, with around 10 people reported to have been rescued and shifted to the AIIMS Trauma Centre. Three of the injured were stated to be in critical condition.
Witnesses claimed that more than 15 people could still be trapped under the debris, though officials said the exact number had not yet been confirmed.
According to officials, construction work was being carried out in the basement before the collapse.
Eight fire tenders, Delhi Police personnel, CAT ambulances and other emergency teams were rushed to the spot. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also joined the rescue and relief operations.
Police said the exact number of people trapped or injured remained uncertain as rescue teams continued to clear the debris. Locals and eyewitnesses also joined the initial rescue effort, using available tools and their hands to remove rubble.
An eyewitness said the casualty figure could have been much higher had the collapse occurred on a working day, as many students from the area had returned home.
Police and paramilitary personnel were deployed to keep the area clear and ensure unhindered movement of ambulances and rescue vehicles.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed concern over the incident and said teams from DDMA, NDRF, Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, MCD, CATS and Civil Defence were carrying out rescue operations on a war footing.
She said the adjoining building had been evacuated as a precautionary measure and all agencies were working in coordination to rescue those trapped and assist affected families.
BJP MLA Anil Sharma, who reached the spot, said rescue teams were still in contact with people trapped inside the rubble.
“We are even getting calls from those who are trapped inside. Teams are continuously in touch with them,” he said.
