Four dead and ten injured after building collapses in Saket
A four-storey building collapsed in Saket, South Delhi, near the Saket Metro station on Saturday evening, leaving four people dead and ten others injured, including a resident of Noida. The collapse triggered an ongoing search and rescue operation as disaster response teams worked to pull victims from the debris.
According to the police, the majority of the casualties and injuries involved medical students. Many of the victims were eating inside a kitchen set up on a neighbouring plot to cater to students living in the area. The kitchen collapsed when heavy debris from the main four-storey structure crashed down onto it.
Immediately following the incident on Saturday evening, approximately 12 people were rescued, while others, including students, were feared trapped. By Sunday morning, disaster response teams had pulled a total of 14 people from the rubble. The victims were rushed to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, where four were pronounced dead upon arrival.
The search and rescue operation remains underway as authorities suspect a few more people may still be trapped beneath the debris. The operation is being carried out on a war footing by the Delhi Fire Service, the National Disaster Response Force, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, the local police, and local residents.
One of the deceased was identified as Ravi, 26. The injured victims include Ksitij Pratap, 25, from Noida. The other identified injured individuals are Tarun Kumar, 26, from Gurugram; Saika Khan, 27, from Bihar; Neelam Yadav, 25, Aditya Sharma, 24, and Aastha, 25, all from Saidullajab; and Anuj Dikshi, 25, and Vishal, 24, both from Saket.
The police stated that the building was a commercial property that housed several private offices on its first and second floors, alongside a coaching centre for medical students. Officers from the Delhi Fire Service noted that the building also had a fifth floor under construction.
An FIR has been registered regarding the incident, and the building’s owner has been called in by the police for questioning. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated that the situation is being closely monitored and every effort is being made to provide immediate assistance to the affected families.
