3 Killed, Several Trapped as Multi-Storey Hostel Collapses in Delhi’s Satya Niketan

At least three people were killed and several others critically injured after a five-storey hostel building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan on Sunday afternoon.

Several people, mostly believed to be students, are feared trapped under the debris as rescue operations continue. Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other emergency agencies rushed to the site after receiving information about the collapse.

DCP South West Amit Goel said a PCR call was received at around 1:34 pm regarding the collapse of a building near Nanakpura Gurudwara. “The NDRF team has also reached and rescue and relief operations are underway,” he said.

The building reportedly housed a hostel named ‘Hostel Daze’ and was owned by Azad Bansal, according to sources. Preliminary investigation suggests that renovation work and excavation in the basement may have weakened the building’s lower structure, sources said.

At least eight fire tenders were deployed to the site. Rescue teams, assisted by local residents, continued to clear the rubble in search of those trapped. Several vehicles parked near the building were also damaged in the collapse.

Officials said some people were pulled out from the debris and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. However, the exact number of people trapped remains unclear.

“The exact number of persons trapped is not known at present. Two persons have been rescued so far,” DCP Goel said during the initial rescue operation.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said multiple agencies were working together to rescue those trapped and provide assistance to affected families.

“Teams from DDMA, NDRF, Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, MCD, CATS and Civil Defence are carrying out rescue operations on a war footing,” Gupta said. She added that the adjoining building had been evacuated as a precautionary measure and that the situation was being closely monitored.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also expressed concern over the incident, particularly reports that several Delhi University students could be trapped under the rubble.

In a post on X, Gandhi urged the NDRF, Delhi Fire Service and other rescue agencies to make every possible effort to reach those trapped and ensure that the injured receive immediate medical attention. He said Congress and NSUI workers were present at the site and ready to assist the rescue teams.

Gandhi also highlighted the shortage of adequate hostel accommodation at colleges and universities, saying many students are forced to live in overcrowded paying guest facilities. He argued that student safety must remain a priority and that no one’s life should be put at risk because of inadequate accommodation.

The latest collapse has also brought back memories of a similar incident in Satya Niketan in 2022. In that incident, the terrace of a three-storey house undergoing renovation collapsed, killing two people and injuring several others. Six workers were trapped under the debris and rescue teams from the Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police and NDRF worked for hours to pull them out.

Sunday’s incident has once again raised concerns over the safety of buildings undergoing renovation and construction work in the densely populated Delhi locality.