NEW DELHI (Diya TV) — At least six people died after a building housing students collapsed in southern Delhi, officials said Monday. Rescue teams continued searching the debris for anyone who may still be trapped.
The building, located in an area near several colleges and universities, had a basement and five upper floors and was being used as student accommodation, according to local reports.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said water had accumulated in the building’s basement before the collapse and that repair work was underway at the aging structure.
“It is certain that there was water in the building’s basement,” Gupta told reporters. She said investigators would examine whether the water buildup and repair work contributed to the collapse.
Police, emergency crews and local residents responded to the site after the building came down Sunday. Rescue workers searched through broken concrete, bricks and other debris for survivors.
Several people were pulled alive from the rubble. Gupta said six survivors were taken to a nearby hospital and were reported to be in stable condition.
Authorities continued searching the site Monday while police began looking for the building’s owner, according to local television reports.
Officials are investigating the condition of the structure and the circumstances surrounding the collapse, including the water accumulation in the basement, ongoing repairs and any possible structural problems.
The cause of the collapse remains under investigation.
