At least two killed, while several others were injured after a five-storey building collapsed in south Delhi's Satya Niketan area on Sunday afternoon. The rescue operations are ongoing with BJP MLA Anil Sharma said that several students are still trapped inside. "While it is difficult to state the exact number—whether there are five, ten, or twenty students—we know for certain that students are trapped inside. Two students have already been rescued by the NDRF, MCD. Some students are even making calls from within, and it appears there are still others trapped inside, so rescue efforts are ongoing," he said, as reported by news agency ANI.
As of now, six people have been rescued, but their condition is not known yet. Eyewitnesses believe more than 15 people are trapped inside the rubble, but an official statement is awaited. Satya Niketan is located in Delhi's South Campus where several of student PGs, hostels and eateries are present. According to officials, they received a PCR call around 1.34 pm after which the rescue operation was launched.
The eyewitness said there was a thick cloud of dust and debris when people rushed outside, realising that the nearby building had collapsed. Recalling the tragedy, he said the locals were the first to respond and they formed a human chain, clearing the debris and pull out the victims.
"The entire building shook as if it were at the epicenter of a major earthquake. We genuinely thought an earthquake had struck. When we walked over to the square and looked from the balcony, everything was covered in a thick cloud of dust and debris. That was when we realised a building nearby had collapsed," he told news agency PTI.
Teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Police, fire brigade, CAT Ambulance, and emergency services are at the spot. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has also taken cognisance of the incident and instructed authorities to ensure that all people are rescued safely, while stressing that the safety and well-being of every citizen remains the government's highest priority. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Bansuri Swaraj and MLA Anil Sharma have arrived at the spot and supervising the rescue operation. Meanwhile, officials have advised people to stay away from the site, as the presence of bystanders is complicating rescue efforts. They have also deployed paramilitary personnel to ensure that ambulances can move freely.
-With PTI and ANI Inputs.
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