A five‑storey building used as a paying‑guest accommodation collapsed in Satya Niketan, South Delhi, on Sunday afternoon, killing five people and leaving an estimated 15 to 20 others trapped under the rubble. The structure, which had been under repair on its ground floor, fell at about 1.30 pm, according to police.
Ten injured were taken to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) trauma centre. AIIMS said four of the victims were declared dead on arrival, while a fifth who was in critical condition later succumbed to his injuries. Three patients were admitted for treatment, one underwent limb surgery, and another with a minor injury was discharged after observation.
Police have booked the building’s owner, Hariram, and others on charges of culpable homicide, negligence in upkeep and endangering public safety. Authorities allege that renovation work at the ground floor weakened the structure, leading to the collapse. The owner is currently on the run.
Rescue operations involved two National Disaster Response Force teams, a canine squad, and local volunteers who used bare hands and improvised tools to search the debris. Oxygen cylinders were lowered into the rubble to aid trapped occupants. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority, Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Civil Defence and other agencies coordinated the effort.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah briefed Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the police commissioner and the NDRF director‑general on the situation. The chief minister visited the site, met the injured at AIIMS, and vowed strict punishment for those responsible. The MCD has evacuated tenants from a nearby women’s PG and sealed the building, citing concerns over the area’s narrow bylanes and the prevalence of student accommodations.
