New Delhi, Sep 6: A nearly 30-year-old five-storey building serving as a paying guest (PG) accommodation for students in South Delhi’s Satya Niketan collapsed on Sunday afternoon, leading to the death of five, with a multi-agency operation underway till night to rescue around 15-20 more trapped under the debris, officials said.
Ten injured were received at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) trauma centre, the hospital said in a statement.
“Four were brought dead, while one patient who was in critical condition later succumbed to his injuries. Three patients have been admitted and are being treated. One patient underwent a surgery of limb, and another who had sustained a minor injury was discharged after observation,” AIIMS said.
The police booked building owner Hariram and others on charges of culpable homicide, negligence in upkeep of a structure, and endangering safety of others, at the South Campus Police Station.
“The building was a PG. It is alleged that renovation work was being undertaken at the Ground Floor, which led to the collapse of the building. Multiple teams have been formed to trace the alleged persons,” the police said.
As rescue teams worked through the debris, locals also joined the frantic efforts, using bare hands and whatever tools they could find to search for the buried.
Two National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams comprising 70 personnel and a canine squad have been deployed to look for signs of life. Oxygen cylinders were dropped under the rubble for the trapped to breathe.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), CATS and Civil Defence are engaged in rescue operations at the site.
Harrowing images of a couple of students buried under the debris emerged, as they used their phones to call for help.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on a Goa visit, cancelled the trip and returned to Delhi.
He spoke to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the police commissioner, and NDRF director general for updates on the situation.
“The local administration and the NDRF are conducting intensive rescue operations in close coordination. The injured are being provided with all necessary medical assistance. Praying for the speedy recovery of all those injured,” he said.
Gupta visited the collapse site and met the injured at AIIMS trauma centre.
The chief minister vowed strict punishment for the guilty, while her office said the government is in touch with the families of the injured students and is providing them the necessary support.
The building collapsed at around 1.30 pm while undergoing repair on its ground floor.
Locals claimed that the collection of water in the basement over days of rain had weakened the building’s foundation, leading to its eventual collapse.
The five-storey structure, which housed a boys’ hostel, was a nearly 30-year-old ground floor-plus-five (G+4) building constructed over 55 square yards in a resettlement colony where the erstwhile permission was only for a G+1 unit, a senior MCD official said.
The MCD evacuated tenants from an adjoining building housing a women’s PG and sealed it.
The area is marked by narrow, congested bylanes lined with eateries and PG accommodations catering mainly to students.
Locals said most of the students staying in the locality were from Keralam, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and study mainly at Motilal Nehru College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharm College and Sri Venkateswara College across the road.
Residents raised concerns over the condition and maintenance of other buildings in the area, where several houses have been converted into PGs.
Priyanka, who has lived in the area for over two decades, said, “Buildings here are being constructed up to five-six floors.”
The police have advised locals and onlookers to stay away from the site.
Paramilitary forces have been deployed to ensure unobstructed movement of ambulances. (PTI)
