At least seven people have died after a five-storey residential building collapsed in India’s capital, Delhi, with rescue teams continuing to search through the rubble for possible survivors.
The building collapsed on Sunday afternoon in the Satya Niketan area of south-west Delhi, close to Delhi University’s South Campus. Authorities have not yet confirmed how many people were inside when the structure came down.
Officials said 12 people were taken to hospital following the collapse, with seven later confirmed dead. Others remain under medical care.
Most of the building’s occupants were reportedly students, many of whom were believed to have been in their rooms at the time because there were no classes on Sunday.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta attributed the collapse to water accumulation combined with repair work being carried out in the building’s basement.
The building’s owner has been arrested, while five senior officials from the Delhi Municipal Corporation have been suspended as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
By Monday morning, Gupta said around 80% of the debris had been removed, with rescue teams concentrating their efforts on the remaining rubble in the basement.
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were using heavy machinery and electric cutting equipment to work through layers of concrete, steel and other debris.
Rescue workers also used excavators to search for anyone who may have become trapped beneath the collapsed structure.
There has been no official confirmation of whether additional people remain trapped or whether further survivors could be found.
Eyewitnesses described the collapse as sudden and violent, with one shopkeeper telling local media that the sound resembled an earthquake.
The witness said large clouds of dust and smoke filled the area immediately after the building came down. He also claimed that several students could be heard calling for help from beneath the rubble.
Authorities evacuated an adjacent building as a precaution amid concerns about the stability of nearby structures. Local reports indicated that the neighbouring structure could also be demolished.
Police have opened a case as part of the investigation into the collapse.
Officials are also examining whether recent excavation, repairs or other structural work contributed to the disaster. Another possibility being investigated is whether heavy rainfall and water seepage weakened the building.
A nearby shopkeeper told local media that excavation work had allegedly been carried out in the basement to expand the hostel.
However, authorities have cautioned that the exact cause of the collapse has not yet been established.
The incident has renewed concerns about living conditions in Satya Niketan, a densely populated area that accommodates thousands of students attending colleges around Delhi University’s South Campus.
Students often rely on privately operated hostels and paying-guest accommodation because of limited university housing.
Residents have raised concerns about overcrowding, poor maintenance and inadequate infrastructure in some of the buildings in the area.
The collapse has also revived wider concerns about building safety in Delhi, where structural failures are relatively common. Fire department figures indicate that more than 1,000 building collapses have been recorded in the city over the past three years, resulting in dozens of deaths.
Poor construction, weak foundations, substandard materials and unqualified workers have previously been identified among the factors contributing to building collapses.
The latest tragedy comes amid continuing scrutiny of safety standards in buildings housing students and other vulnerable residents across the capital.