A building collapse near Shiv Mandir in Delhi has trapped several residents. Two people have been rescued so far, and a search is underway for more survivors.
The building, located in Satya Niketan in Moti Nagar, collapsed around afternoon on Sunday.
The Fire Department said that they received a call at around 1:30 pm. Eight fire tenders were deployed to the location, and a rescue operation is underway.
The building was reportedly a paying guest accommodation and was five storeys high.
According to preliminary information, the authorities said that around five people were trapped under the debris.
One eyewitness said that it housed at least 50 students. Most of them were inside since it was Sunday.
Another eyewitness told ANI, "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," he said.
"Many students have suffered severe injuries. Rescuers are pulling them out with great difficulty," he added.
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta took to X to say that teams were carrying out rescue efforts. "Teams from DDMA, NDRF, Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, MCD, CATS and Civil Defence are carrying out rescue operations on a war footing. The adjacent building has been vacated as a precautionary measure. Every possible effort is being made to safely rescue those trapped and provide immediate assistance to the affected families. The situation is being closely monitored, and all concerned agencies are working in coordination. The safety and well-being of every citizen remain our highest priority," she said.
Visuals showed a large crowd gathered at the site. In one video, a person is seen wedged under a concrete slab.
The area is located near Delhi University's south campus and has a high population of students.
BJP MLA Anil Sharma, who spoke to reporters on site, called it a "deeply tragic incident."
"Students come here from various places to study and stay in PGs in this building; the structure has collapsed. While it is difficult to state the exact number- whether there are five, ten, or twenty students- we know for certain that students are trapped inside. Two students have already been rescued by the NDRF and MCD. Some students are even making calls from within, and it appears there are still others trapped inside, so rescue efforts are ongoing," he said.
