Death toll rises following building collapse in New Delhi

NEW DELHI (AP) — Search and rescue teams combed through the debris of a collapsed building in New Delhi on Monday as the death toll climbed to seven, officials said.

The five-story building, which housed a boys’ hostel, collapsed on Sunday in Satya Niketan, a densely populated neighborhood known for its private student accommodations near a Delhi University campus.

Police, firefighters and crews from India’s disaster response agency continued their search for a second day as earthmovers cleared debris and sniffer dogs worked the site to help rescuers reach those still trapped inside.

Rescue crews pulled at least 12 people from under the rubble, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta told reporters at the site on Monday. About 80% of the debris had been cleared and only rubble from the basement remained, she said, adding that six people died and six others were injured in the incident.

Later Monday, rescuers recovered a body, raising the death toll to seven, officials said.

According to residents, the building was at least 55 years old and had been under renovation for months before reopening to tenants, mostly students, in August despite work remaining unfinished.

Prakash Chand, a resident, said laborers were in the basement carrying out digging work when the building collapsed.

Preliminary findings suggest water accumulation in the basement and ongoing repair work on the aging building may have caused the collapse, Gupta said.

She said the government will draft a policy requiring periodic structural audits and safety certificates for buildings used by the public, including student accommodations, nursing homes and schools. “No public activity will be permitted” in buildings that fail to comply, Gupta said.

After Gupta’s visit, police arrested the building owner and filed a case against him. Authorities also suspended at least five municipal employees responsible for building safety oversight in the area, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

Building collapses are a recurring hazard in parts of India during the June-to-September monsoon season, when heavy or prolonged rain can weaken older structures.