On Sunday at around 13:30 local time (08:00 GMT), a five‑storey residential building in the Satya Niketan neighbourhood of south‑west Delhi collapsed, leaving dozens of students trapped beneath the rubble.
Witnesses said about 50 people were inside the structure when it fell. Local police confirmed that at least three people died, three others are in critical condition, and eight have already been rescued. Rescuers are still searching for survivors, with reports of students making phone calls from under the rubble.
The collapsed building was a hostel called “Hostel Daze” that had been undergoing basement construction to extend the facility. According to a shop owner nearby, the lease had been for 100 years and the owners had carried out excavation work, claiming the upper floors were reinforced while the supporting pillars were weak.
Delhi’s chief minister, Rekha Gupta, said the adjacent building had been evacuated as a precaution and pledged that “every possible effort is being made to safely rescue those trapped.” The Delhi police noted that the structure was only 40‑50 years old.
The incident is part of a worrying trend; Delhi has seen over a thousand building collapses in the last three years, often linked to poor foundations, sub‑standard materials and unqualified labour. The National Students’ Union of India has called for a thorough investigation and accountability.
Rescue operations were supported by the National Disaster Response Force, whose personnel were seen performing rescue work in the wreckage at the scene.
