At Least Three Dead and Dozens Feared Trapped in Delhi Hostel Collapse

A five-story hostel near Delhi University collapsed Sunday afternoon, killing at least three people and leaving rescue teams searching for students feared trapped in the debris.

The building, known as Hostel Daze, came down around 1:30 p.m. (08:00 GMT) in Satya Niketan, a crowded South West Delhi neighborhood lined with student housing. Witnesses said as many as 50 people may have been inside at the time. Many residents were believed to be in their rooms because no classes were scheduled on Sunday.

At least eight people had been rescued so far, and three others were in critical condition, according to the Press Trust of India and local police. A local legislator at the scene said some of the trapped students had been making calls from under the debris.

Rescuers worked through piles of broken concrete and metal as crowds of students and residents gathered near the site. One witness told ANI that a building next to the hostel had also collapsed and had been used as a hostel. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said an adjoining building had been evacuated as a precautionary measure.

The cause of the collapse was not immediately clear. Police said the building was only 40 or 50 years old. A nearby shopkeeper told ANI that the plot was held on a 100-year lease and that the leaseholder had recently carried out excavation in the basement to expand the hostel and increase rental income. The shopkeeper said the upper part of the building had been strengthened, but the pillars below were weak, and construction workers on site had also been buried.

The National Students' Union of India called for an investigation into the collapse and said anyone found responsible should be held to account, adding that negligence over the safety of students and local residents would not be tolerated. Police were reported to be searching for the building's owner.

Satya Niketan is a densely populated neighborhood with a large student population and numerous hostels. Building collapses have been a recurring concern in Delhi, with fire department figures showing more than 1,000 collapses over the past three years and dozens of deaths. Poor foundations, inadequate materials and unqualified construction workers are often cited as contributing factors. Last April, 11 people, including three children, were killed when a residential building collapsed in northeastern Delhi.