Search and rescue teams continued to comb through the debris of a collapsed building in New Delhi on Monday, as the death toll rose to six, officials said. The five-story structure, which housed a boys’ hostel, collapsed Sunday in Satya Niketan, a densely populated neighborhood known for its private student accommodations near a Delhi University campus.
Police, firefighters and crews from India’s disaster response agency searched for a second day. Earthmovers cleared debris, and sniffer dogs assisted rescuers in locating individuals still trapped inside the rubble. Rescue crews pulled at least 12 people from under the debris, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta told reporters at the site on Monday. Approximately 80% of the debris had been cleared, with only rubble from the basement remaining, Gupta stated. Six people died and six others were injured in the incident.
Residents reported the building was at least 55 years old and had been undergoing renovations for months. Despite unfinished work, it reopened to tenants, primarily students, in August. Prakash Chand, a resident, said laborers were in the basement carrying out digging work when the collapse occurred.
Preliminary findings suggest water accumulation in the basement and ongoing repair work on the aging structure may have caused the collapse, Gupta said. The government plans to introduce a policy requiring periodic structural audits and safety certificates for buildings used by the public, including student accommodations, nursing homes, and schools. Gupta indicated that buildings failing to comply would not be permitted for public activity.
Building collapses are a recurring hazard in parts of India, particularly during the June-to-September monsoon season, when heavy or prolonged rainfall can compromise the structural integrity of older buildings.