New Delhi: A building collapsed in Satya Niketan in southwest Delhi on Sunday afternoon, leaving several people feared trapped under the debris, officials said. A major rescue operation was launched soon after the incident, with teams from the Delhi Fire Service, Delhi Police and other emergency departments reaching the site.
Twelve fire tenders and multiple rescue teams were rushed to the location as emergency personnel began searching through the rubble for those trapped. Police cordoned off the area to facilitate rescue operations and prevent people from entering the danger zone.
Local residents and eyewitnesses also joined the rescue effort, using their hands and whatever equipment was available to clear the debris and search for survivors. Six people have been rescued so far, while rescue teams continued their efforts to locate and safely evacuate others believed to be trapped.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed concern over the incident and said every possible effort was being made to rescue those trapped safely. She said she was closely monitoring the situation as the rescue operation continued.
“The building that collapsed is called ‘Hostel Daze’. Right next to it is another building that collapsed. ‘Hostel Daze’ is a dedicated boys’ PG; it was a five-story building. The adjacent building also collapsed… All the students who were inside their rooms got trapped under the rubble. We will only know the exact number of trapped students by checking the registration records. The fire brigade and rescue teams have been at work for about 15-20 minutes—ever since the collapse—doing their absolute best to pull people out. Many students have suffered severe injuries. Rescuers are pulling them out with great difficult,” an eyewitness was quoted as saying by ANI.
Satya Niketan is a densely populated locality in southwest Delhi and is particularly known for its large student population, with several hostels and accommodation facilities serving students of colleges in Delhi University’s South Campus.
The exact cause of the collapse and the number of people still trapped were not immediately clear. Rescue and search operations remained underway as emergency teams worked through the debris.
