Delhi Building Collapse: Watch the Exact Moment It Comes Crashing Down in Satya Niketan | Videos Inside

For students moving to Delhi for college, areas around Delhi University’s South Campus often become a second home. Satya Niketan is one such neighbourhood, packed with paying guest accommodations and student hostels.

On Sunday, 6 September, that familiar student hub became the site of a deadly building collapse.

A five-storey building being used as a boys’ PG suddenly came crashing down around 1:30 pm. CCTV footage captured the moment the structure collapsed within seconds. By Monday morning, the death toll had risen to six, while rescue teams continued searching the rubble. 

Here is what we know so far.

What Happened In Satya Niketan?

The building, reportedly known as Hostel Daze, stood near Delhi University’s South Campus in southwest Delhi.

It had a basement and five upper floors and was being used as a paying guest accommodation for students. NDTV reported that the property was a 75-bed PG. Officials said the structure was around 40 to 50 years old. 

At around 1:30 pm on 6 September, the building collapsed.

CCTV footage from the area showed a roadside vendor looking up moments before the structure suddenly gave way. Within seconds, the building disappeared under a cloud of dust and debris. 

The collapse happened in a densely populated area, raising fears that a large number of students could have been inside. Early eyewitness accounts put the possible number of people inside at between 30 and 50, but officials were still working to establish the exact number. 

Why Did The Building Collapse?

The exact cause is still under investigation.

However, preliminary accounts have focused on construction and renovation work being carried out in or around the basement.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that excavation during renovation work had caused a pillar to shift, after which the structure collapsed. Other reports said the basement was waterlogged and that unauthorised construction or alterations were also being examined. 

The Times of India reported that the building was around four decades old and that investigators were looking into alleged illegal work and the condition of its waterlogged basement. 

Importantly, these remain preliminary findings. The investigation will have to establish whether renovation work, structural weaknesses, illegal construction or a combination of factors caused the collapse.

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Rescue Teams Worked Through The Night

The collapse immediately triggered a large-scale rescue operation.

Delhi Fire Service, Delhi Police, the National Disaster Response Force, Delhi Disaster Management Authority, MCD and other emergency agencies were deployed at the site. Around 12 fire tenders were initially sent to the area, while excavators and NDRF personnel helped clear the rubble. 

NDRF teams also used trained sniffer dogs to search for people who could still be trapped beneath the debris.

By Monday morning, 13 people had been rescued, according to the latest NDTV update. Five victims were brought dead to AIIMS Trauma Centre, while another critically injured person later died during treatment, taking the toll to six. 

AIIMS said 11 injured people had been brought to its trauma centre. Three remained admitted, including one patient who underwent surgery. 

Police File FIR Against Owner

Delhi Police registered an FIR against the alleged owner, Hariram, and others, and Hariram has now been detained by the police in connection with the building collapse.

According to police, the case was registered at South Campus police station under Sections 105, 290 and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The sections relate to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, negligent conduct involving buildings and acts endangering life or personal safety.

Police said multiple teams were formed to trace and question those allegedly connected with the incident. The investigation is also examining the renovation work reportedly underway before the collapse, including whether any safety or structural norms were violated.

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What Has The Delhi Government Said?

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the site and later the AIIMS Trauma Centre.

She ordered a magisterial inquiry and directed that an FIR be registered against the building owner. Gupta said those found responsible would face strict legal action. 

She also said the adjoining building had been vacated as a precaution.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu said agencies including Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service and the Delhi Disaster Management Authority had been directed to work together on rescue operations. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the families of those killed and wished the injured a speedy recovery. The Prime Minister's Office said authorities were working at the site and assisting those affected. 

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The Building Next Door Was Also Flagged

The collapse also triggered concerns about neighbouring structures.

MCD issued a notice concerning the adjoining property, describing it as being in a dangerous and ruinous condition. Occupants were asked to vacate it, and the owner was directed to demolish the structure within three days, failing which the civic body said it would carry out the demolition and recover the cost. 

MCD has also ordered the immediate sealing of illegal constructions exceeding four floors.

Delhi Mayor Pravesh Wahi said officials found responsible for allowing illegal structures would face strict action, including dismissal. 

The incident has also sparked protests, with ABVP members raising questions about student safety and alleged lapses in monitoring PG accommodations. 

For now, the focus remains on the rescue operation, identifying the victims and determining exactly why a building housing students collapsed in the middle of a busy Sunday afternoon.

The magisterial inquiry and police investigation will determine where the responsibility lies.

TL;DR | News At a Glance

What happened?
A five-storey boys’ PG building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan on 6 September.

How many people died?
Six people had died by the morning of 7 September.

Who lived there?
The building was being used as a paying guest accommodation for students near Delhi University’s South Campus.

What may have caused the collapse?
Renovation or excavation work in the basement, structural issues and alleged unauthorised construction are being investigated. The exact cause has not yet been established.

What action has been taken?
Delhi Police registered an FIR against alleged owner Hariram and others. The Delhi government ordered a magisterial inquiry.

What has the government done?
MCD ordered action against illegal buildings exceeding four floors and flagged the adjoining building as dangerous.

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