A 5-story building collapsed in the Satya Niketan area of South Delhi on Monday. One student died and three others were seriously injured. Rescue teams have so far rescued six people and taken them to the hospital, while rescue operations are continuing on a war footing due to the fear of many others being trapped. Oxygen cylinders were immediately brought to the scene to ensure breathing difficulties for those trapped under the debris.
The accident occurred around 1:30 pm. Immediately after the incident, local residents took up hammers and began removing the debris and rescuing people. Some vehicles were also badly buried under the debris. Another building, located directly next to the accident site, is in danger and on the verge of collapse. However, residents were evacuated safely in time. The street where the accident occurred is extremely narrow and surrounded by several tall buildings, hampering rescue efforts.
It has been reported that renovation work was underway in the basement at the time of the accident. A medical store was also operating beneath the building, which had been evacuated a year earlier. A PG of approximately 10 rooms was operating in this building. Official figures for the total number of students residing at Satya Niketan have not been released.
It has been reported that renovation work was underway in the basement at the time of the accident. A medical store was also operating beneath the building, which had been evacuated a year earlier. A PG of approximately 10 rooms was operating in this building. Official figures for the total number of students residing at Satya Niketan have not been released.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has expressed deep grief over this tragic accident. Given the seriousness of the incident, the Home Minister has canceled his visit to Goa with immediate effect. He was scheduled to inaugurate the BJP’s new state office building in Chimbel, Goa, today, but this has been postponed.
Providing information about the incident, Balraj Singh, nodal officer for Centralized Accident and Trauma Services (CATS), said that five people rescued from the scene were immediately sent to the AIIMS Trauma Center for treatment. The administration and relief agencies are on the scene, and the work of clearing the debris is progressing rapidly.
Following the accident, the police have filed a case of negligence against the accused owner, Anand Bansal, a resident of Gurugram, and his brother, who run three or four PGs in the area.
Four major reasons for the building collapse, according to media reports
Media reports have revealed four possible reasons for this accident.
1. Dangerous basement excavation: Excavation work was underway to construct a basement beneath the building. It is feared that this caused the building’s foundation to sag and the entire structure to collapse.
2. Weak and dilapidated pillars: According to eyewitnesses, the lower pillars were extremely weak. They could not bear the enormous weight of the five-story building and collapsed.
3. Illegal structural tampering: In the pursuit of a basement or new construction, the building’s original pillars and foundation were tampered with, completely destroying the building’s stability.
4. Old and dilapidated building: The building’s structure was already considered weak. Consequently, the additional pressure of the ongoing demolition and excavation could not be tolerated.
Upon receiving information about the accident, teams from the Delhi Fire Department arrived at the scene. Relief and rescue operations were subsequently initiated. Rescue teams are carefully removing debris and searching for potentially trapped people. Local residents are also present at the scene and monitoring the rescue operation.
Satya Niketan and its surrounding area are popular with students. Numerous educational institutions and colleges are located here, resulting in a large student population. However, official information regarding the number of people inside the collapsed building, and the number of students, is yet to be released.
Currently, one student has been reported dead in the accident. Rescue operations are underway, and the administration’s priority is to safely evacuate those trapped in the debris. More information about the accident is expected to emerge as the situation becomes clearer.
According to the Delhi Police, rescue teams arrived at the scene upon receiving information about the incident, and rescue operations are underway. Police and fire brigade teams are present at the scene. Official updates regarding the full extent of the accident and the number of affected people are awaited.