Dozens feared trapped after Delhi building collapse

Sun Sep 06 2026 15:30:14 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Five‑storey hostel in Delhi collapses amid student evacuation, rescuers struggle to free trapped occupants.

A five‑storey hostel in South‑West Delhi fell early Sunday, trapping up to 50 students who were pending classes. Rescue teams have pulled six from the rubble, but at least one has died and two others remain critical. Construction work in the basement is blamed for the collapse, prompting calls for a full safety investigation. Authorities are also probing a neighboring building that collapsed at the same time. The incident has ignited demands from student unions for accountability and stricter building‑code enforcement.

Dozens feared trapped after Delhi building collapse

A residential building in the Indian capital Delhi collapsed, leaving dozens of students feared trapped inside.

Eyewitnesses reported that up to 50 people were inside the five‑storey building in the Satya Niketan neighbourhood of south‑west Delhi when it came down around 13:30 local time (08:00 GMT) on Sunday.

At least one person was killed and two others are in a critical condition, local police say, while six people have been rescued to date. Construction work was underway in the basement of the hostel, which sits close to the Delhi University campus.

Many of the students were in their rooms at the time of the collapse because there were no lessons on Sunday. A legislative assembly member noted that some trapped students had been making calls from under the rubble.

Another building beside the hostel collapsed as well, according to eyewitnesses. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said an adjacent building was evacuated "as a precautionary measure" and pledged that every possible effort is being made to safely rescue those trapped.

Delhi Police indicated that the building was only 40 or 50 years old. The owner of a nearby shop, whose lease is under a 100‑year contract, explained that the shop’s leaseholder had undertaken excavation work in the basement to raise income. “They strengthened the upper building, but the pillars below were weak,” he said, noting that construction workers were also buried.

The National Students’ Union of India called on the government to investigate the cause of the collapse and hold anyone found responsible to account, asserting that “negligence with the safety of students and common people will not be tolerated at any cost.”

Police are searching for the building owner, the Times of India reports.