Delhi Satya Niketan building collapse: CCTV captures five-storey hostel crashing down

A CCTV video has surfaced showing the moment a five-storey building used as a private hostel collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan on Sunday afternoon, leaving at least five people dead and several others trapped under the debris.

Rescuers faced challenges in using heavy machinery at the site because of the possibility that movement of the debris could put people trapped underneath at further risk. Teams therefore had to remove portions of the rubble manually and proceed carefully while searching for survivors.

The rescue operation continued for several hours as teams from different agencies worked together to clear the debris. Officials also remained at the site to assess the condition of the surrounding structures and ensure that rescue personnel could operate safely.

The circumstances surrounding the building collapse are now under investigation, with alleged renovation work at the premises coming under scrutiny. Police said renovation work was being carried out on the ground floor of the building.

Sources said excavation was also allegedly being undertaken in the basement, raising concerns that the work may have weakened the foundation of the structure. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the site following the collapse and later went to the AIIMS Trauma Centre.

She said preliminary information suggested that excavation work in the basement had affected the structure. According to her, a pillar had shifted before the building came down. The police have registered an FIR under Sections 105, 290 and 125(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The sections relate to culpable homicide, negligence in the construction or repair of buildings and acts that endanger human life. Police have formed multiple teams as part of the investigation and are looking into the role of the alleged owner and others connected with the building.