Five-storey building housing about 50 people, including students, collapses in Delhi

At least three people were reported dead and dozens feared trapped after a five-storey building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan residential area on Sunday.

Witnesses told local media that about 50 people were inside when the building fell at around 1:30 p.m. Local officials said construction work had been taking place in the basement of Hostel Daze, located near the University of Delhi. Many of the students were believed to be in their rooms because there were no classes on Sunday.

A lawmaker at the scene said some trapped students had managed to make phone calls from beneath the rubble. Witnesses also said a neighbouring building collapsed. That building was reportedly another hostel, according to ANI.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said residents of a nearby building had been evacuated as a precaution. “Every possible effort is being made to rescue those trapped safely,” she said. Delhi Police said the collapsed building was about 40 to 50 years old. The owner of a nearby shop told ANI that the building was under a 100-year lease and that the leaseholder had excavated beneath it to expand the hostel and increase income.

Police are tracing the building’s owner, the Times of India reported. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as distressing and offered condolences to people who had lost loved ones, according to his office.

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Every possible effort is being made to rescue those trapped safely.