Delhi Building Collapse: Dozens of Students Feared Trapped in Satya Niketan Hostel
- A five-storey hostel in south-west Delhi collapsed on Sunday afternoon, with eyewitnesses saying about 50 people were inside at the time
- Students were believed to be in their rooms when Hostel Daze came down, with some reportedly making calls from under the rubble
- Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta confirmed rescue efforts were underway, while police have launched a search for the building's owner
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A residential hostel in south-west Delhi collapsed on Sunday, trapping dozens of students beneath the rubble and killing at least one person, with two others reported to be in a critical condition.
The five-storey building, known as Hostel Daze, came down at around 13:30 local time (08:00 GMT) in the Satya Niketan neighbourhood, a short distance from the Delhi University campus.
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Eyewitnesses told local media that as many as 50 people were inside when the structure gave way. Six people had been rescued by the time early reports were filed.
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According to BBC, because there were no classes on Sunday, many of the students were in their rooms at the time of the collapse. A local legislative assembly member, who arrived at the scene, said some of those buried had managed to make phone calls from beneath the debris.
What caused the Satya Niketan building to collapse
Construction work had been taking place in the building's basement before the collapse. The owner of a nearby shop told news agency ANI that the property was operating under a 100-year lease and that the leaseholder had ordered excavation work below ground to generate additional income.
"They strengthened the upper building, but the pillars below were weak," the shopkeeper said, adding that construction workers were among those buried. Delhi Police said the building was between 40 and 50 years old.
Eyewitnesses also reported that a second building beside the hostel came down, and Delhi's Chief Minister, Rekha Gupta, confirmed that an adjacent structure had been evacuated "as a precautionary measure."
"Every possible effort is being made to safely rescue those trapped," Gupta added.
Calls for accountability after Delhi hostel disaster
The National Students' Union of India called on the government to investigate the cause of the disaster and hold anyone found responsible to account. "Negligence with the safety of students and common people will not be tolerated at any cost," the organisation said in a statement.
Delhi Police have launched a search for the owner of the building, according to local reports.
3-storey building collapses, many trapped
Legit.ng earlier reported that a three-storey building under construction has collapsed in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, leaving some construction workers trapped beneath the debris.
The incident occurred on Wednesday behind Eternal Filling Station, opposite Chief Sam Ngbor Avenue, off the busy Peter Odili Road area of the city.
Source: Legit.ng
