Delhi Building Collapse: Death Toll Reaches Six as Rescue Teams Search Rubble

Rescue operations continued for a second day in New Delhi's Satya Niketan area on Monday, following the collapse of a five-storey building that housed a boys' hostel. The death toll from the incident, which occurred on Sunday, has risen to six, with six others reported injured.

Teams from the police, fire department, and the national disaster response force have been working at the site, using earthmoving equipment and sniffer dogs to locate any individuals still trapped. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated that at least twelve people have been pulled from the rubble so far. She added that approximately 80% of the debris has been cleared, with the search now focused on the basement area.

The building, located in a neighborhood popular with students near a Delhi University campus, was reportedly over 55 years old. According to local residents, it had been undergoing renovation for several months and had only recently reopened to tenants in August, despite some work remaining unfinished. One resident mentioned that laborers were performing digging work in the basement at the time of the collapse.

Preliminary investigations suggest that water accumulation in the basement and ongoing repair work on the aging structure may have contributed to the failure. In response, Chief Minister Gupta announced plans to draft a policy requiring periodic structural audits and safety certificates for public-use buildings, including student hostels, nursing homes, and schools. She stated that no public activity would be permitted in structures that do not meet these compliance standards.

Building collapses are a known hazard in parts of India, particularly during the monsoon season from June to September, when heavy rainfall can compromise the integrity of older constructions.