Three people were brought dead to the JPN Apex Trauma Centre at AIIMS Delhi following the collapse of a five-storey building in the Satya Niketan area of the national capital on Sunday. The hospital received a total of eight patients from the incident, with one person remaining in critical condition.
According to AIIMS Delhi, three of the eight patients who reached the trauma centre had already succumbed to their injuries. Three others have been admitted and are undergoing treatment, while another patient required surgery for a limb injury. One person, who suffered comparatively minor injuries, was discharged after being kept under observation.
Satya Niketan Boys' PG Building Collapses
The building collapse occurred at around 1:30 pm in the Satya Niketan area, which falls under the South Campus police station. The premises reportedly housed a paying guest (PG) facility accommodating students from various Delhi University colleges.
Rescue efforts were launched soon after the structure came down, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Services and the police working to locate and evacuate people trapped beneath the rubble. Local residents and Delhi University students also joined the emergency response.
The precise circumstances that led to the collapse are yet to be determined. Initial accounts indicate that construction activity was taking place in the basement shortly before the incident, and a damaged pillar may have contributed to the structural failure. Authorities are expected to establish the exact cause following a detailed probe.
Residents said the property, built over roughly 80 square yards, was an ageing structure that had remained unused for several years because of concerns over its condition. The ground floor had shops, but the premises reportedly remained difficult to rent. After a company took the property on lease last year and carried out renovations, it was converted into a PG accommodation. The number of students residing there reportedly rose substantially this year.
Satya Niketan, situated near Delhi University’s South Campus, is surrounded by several prominent colleges, including Sri Venkateswara College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, Motilal Nehru College, Aryabhatta College, Jesus and Mary College and Maitreyi College. The area has increasingly become a hub for student accommodation, particularly PG facilities.
The incident has also brought renewed attention to building safety in the capital. It comes roughly three months after six medical students were killed when another five-storey structure collapsed in Saidulajab on May 30.
PM Modi Expresses Grief Over The Tragedy
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the Satya Niketan collapse and conveyed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. He also wished those injured a speedy recovery, saying that authorities were engaged in rescue and relief efforts and extending assistance to those affected.
