Three Dead, 11 Rescued, Several Feared Trapped, CM Vows Strict Action: What We Know About Delhi Satya Niketan Building Collapse

New Delhi: Three people died and 11 others were rescued after a residential building collapsed near Satya Niketan in South-West Delhi on Sunday, with rescue teams continuing efforts amid fears that more people remain trapped under the debris.

Delhi Police confirmed the fatalities and said search-and-rescue operations were underway involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Service, local police and other agencies. The structure, an old building being used as a paying guest (PG) accommodation, housed children at the time of the collapse.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the site to oversee the operation and later went to the AIIMS Trauma Centre to meet those rescued and speak with doctors and health officials. She said the government’s immediate priority was saving lives and assessing the condition of the survivors.

“11 people have been rescued. I am going to the hospital. We need to understand the condition of all those who have been rescued. I can say this much: whoever is responsible for this, whether it is the building owner or an official, will not be spared,” Gupta stated.

Providing a preliminary account of the cause, the Chief Minister said renovation and construction work was in progress on the ageing structure. Excavation in the basement led to a pillar shifting, triggering the full collapse.

“The building was being used as a PG (Paying Guest), and children were inside. All agencies are continuously working,” she added.

“Our priority is to save the lives of these children first. The rescue operation will continue in the same manner. All officials are present here, and there will be no shortage of any kind. However, the guilty will not be spared,” she said.

Gupta visited AIIMS, Delhi and spoke to doctors and health officials at the AIIMS Trauma Centre and took stock of the health condition of individuals who have been admitted there. 

Union Health Minister JP Nadda spoke with Gupta, took stock of the situation and assured full support from the Ministry of Health. He directed the AIIMS Director and central government hospitals to extend all necessary assistance. Seven people were taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre and one to Safdarjung Hospital; two of those brought to AIIMS were declared dead on arrival, according to hospital authorities. Later updates from police and the Chief Minister placed the death toll at three.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the Satya Niketan building collapse in Delhi, terming the incident as "distressing."

In a post on X, the Prime Minister's office wrote, "The collapse of a building at Satya Niketan, Delhi is distressing. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones."

He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and said authorities are working at the site and assisting those affected in the mishap. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed deep distress over the incident. In a post on X, he said he had spoken with the Chief Minister, the Delhi Police Commissioner and the Director General of the NDRF to assess the ground situation.

“The local administration and the NDRF are conducting intensive rescue operations in close coordination. The injured are being provided with all necessary medical assistance. Praying for the speedy recovery of all those injured,” Shah wrote.

Rescue work remained intensive as teams searched the rubble for anyone still trapped. Officials stressed that operations would continue without interruption until the site was fully cleared.