A boys’ hostel building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan on Sunday afternoon, trapping several students under the rubble.
Teams from the DDMA, NDRF, Delhi Fire Services and Delhi Police are all at the site conducting a rescue operation.
Eyewitnesses described hearing a loud sound like that of a rumble of an earthquake before the building collapsed. They said that the an adjacent building next to the five-storey 'Hostel Daze' also collapsed.
About 10 to 15 students were rescued from under rubble. DUSU President Aryan Maan told ANI, " We are in communication with them, and the entire NDRF team has arrived. I have spoken to the Chief Minister, and other teams are also on their way to assist the students. There are no reports of casualties yet. All the students are being taken to the hospital; there were about 15-20 students involved, and 10 have been rescued.”
Many of the students sustained critical injuries and were rushed to AIIMS for treatment.
Eyewitnesses said that the building housed at least 25 to 30 children. A girls' hostel and a boys hotel is located close to the site.
They also said that they could hear the students’ voices from under the rubble.
One person told reporters that a basement was being constructed under the building. They have reinforced the upper structure, but the pillars at the bottom were weak. “They were constructing a basement. They had reinforced the upper structure, but the pillars at the bottom were weak. They were renovating the building—specifically to create a rental space on the ground floor—and that caused the collapse. Labourers were working down below and got buried,” the eyewitness said.
Each of the five floors in the boys' hostel had five rooms. The work under the building may have weakened the foundation, which led to the collapse.
Authorities have not commented on what exactly led to the structure collapsing.
NDMC Vice-Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal, who spoke to ANI, said, "It appears that work was being done to open up a basement in the existing structure. It is a deeply unfortunate event.”
He also said that the government will ensure that the “strictest possible action is taken against those found responsible."
Police are also searching for Anand Bansal, the owner of the PG and registering a case. Reports say that the building was vacated a year ago. Despite this, the building was reopened as a hostel for boys.
