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Delhi Building Collapse Kills 7, Death Toll Rises
Confirmed
In Short: The death toll from a building collapse in Delhi has risen to seven, with rescuers continuing to search for survivors as authorities investigate the cause.
Live updates from Delhi indicate that the death toll from a building collapse in the Satya Niketan neighborhood has risen to seven, with at least six confirmed dead and two more bodies recovered during rescue operations. Eyewitnesses described the collapse as sounding like an earthquake, and the Delhi High Court has ordered an urgent hearing on the incident.
The building, known as Hostel Daze, was a five-storey structure in the area of south-west Delhi. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated that the collapse was likely due to the accumulation of water and ongoing repair work in the basement. Gupta also mentioned that approximately 80% of the debris had been cleared, with only the basement rubble remaining.
Local media reports suggest that an adjacent building has been evacuated as a precautionary measure and may be demolished. The National Students' Union of India has called for a thorough investigation into the cause of the collapse and accountability for those responsible. The incident has highlighted the precarious living conditions for students in the area, with one eyewitness noting that the building was affordable for students but often overcrowded.
Building collapses are relatively common in Delhi, with over a thousand recorded in the past three years, causing dozens of deaths, according to fire department figures. The National Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital confirmed the deaths in a statement on Monday, and police have registered a case against the building's owner, who is currently at large.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- Eyewitnesses told local media that two-to-four dozen people were inside the five-storey building in the Satya Niketan neighbourhood of south-west Delhi when it came down around 13:30 local time (08:00 GMT) on Sunday.
- An eyewitness who was at his shop nearby when the tragedy struck told news agency ANI that the building collapse sounded "like the rumble of an earthquake".
- A civic official said they were trying to ascertain whether any digging or structural work was carried out in the building recently, Times of India reported., external "Given the incessant rain, we are examining the possibility of seepage weakening the structure. Repair or other work could also have contributed to the collapse. At this stage, however, it is difficult to establish the exact cause," he said.
- Sharma, who often visited a friend who lived in the building and narrowly escaped the accident, said a bed in the building cost 18,000 rupees ($190: £140) a month, making it affordable for students.
- Another student, Shivam Yadav, said a friend of his lived in the building and was in his room at the time of the accident.
- Yadav said that most of the buildings in Satya Niketan are "overloaded".
- Rescuers race to free people trapped after building collapse in Delhi At least six people are now confirmed dead in a residential building collapse in the Indian capital, Delhi, with more students still feared trapped inside.
- Many of the students staying in the building were thought to be in their rooms at the time of the collapse as there were no lessons on Sunday.