Three dead, several trapped as boys' PG collapses in Delhi
New Delhi: Three persons have died after a multi-storey building of a boys' PG hostel in South-West Delhi collapsed on Sunday afternoon, with around 40-50 students feared trapped under the rubble. Rescue efforts are underway at the site with teams from DDMA, NDRF, Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, MCD, CTS and Civil Defence involved in the operation on a "war footing," according to chief minister Rekha Gupta.
Meanwhile, 9 students have been rescued from under the rubble and admitted to nearby hospitals. Two of the students, admitted to the AIIMS trauma centre, are in a critical state, the hospital said.
A police official at the site, later cited preliminary inquiry, around 40-50 students are suspected to have been inside the building at the time of the collapse.
According to locals in the area, the collapsed building was a boys' PG. An eyewitness reportedly told MEDIA that the five-storey building was called "Hostel Daze", a dedicated boys' PG.
Students in the vicinity claim that, since it was Sunday, most students would have been inside the building at the time of the incident.
Students crying out, ‘Save us’
An eyewitness said the collapse was preceded by a sound that reminded him of an earthquake, after which people trapped inside began shouting, “save us”.
“We were sitting inside it when we suddenly heard a sound—like the rumble of an earthquake. We rushed out immediately; there was a lot of smoke and dust here. The entire building had collapsed,” he told media.
“Sounds are still coming from within the rubble - children crying out, ‘Save us, save us!’... There are at least 25–30 children,” he added.