In brief
A five‑storey residential building in South‑west Delhi collapsed around 13:30 local time, killing at least three people and leaving more than 40 students feared trapped. Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force and local police have responded, extracting several trapped individuals and transporting the injured to hospitals. The collapse occurred during construction work in the basement of Hostel Daze, adjacent to Delhi University. Authorities are investigating the cause, with early reports indicating possible structural weaknesses and construction negligence.
Dozens of students feared trapped in Delhi hostel collapse
A five‑storey building in the Satya Niketan neighbourhood of South‑west Delhi collapsed around 13:30 local time (08:00 GMT) on Sunday, leaving dozens of students trapped inside.
Eyewitnesses reported up to 50 people inside the basement of Hostel Daze when the structure fell. At least three persons were killed and three others are in critical condition, according to Delhi Police. Over eight individuals have been rescued so far.
Construction work was underway in the basement, part of an expansion plan for the hostel, which may have weakened the supporting pillars. The owner of a nearby shop stated that the building was 40‑50 years old and that the leaseholder had undertaken excavation work to increase income.
The National Students' Union of India demanded a full investigation into the cause of the collapse and called for accountability of any responsible parties.
Building collapses remain common in Delhi, with over a thousand incidents in the past three years causing dozens of deaths due to poor foundations, sub‑standard materials and unqualified construction workers.
Rescuers race to free people trapped after building collapse in Delhi.
