NEW DELHI (AP) — Search and rescue teams were sifting through the rubble of a collapsed building in New Delhi on Monday as the death toll rose to seven, authorities said. The five-story building, which housed a children’s hostel, collapsed on Sunday in Satya Niketan, a densely populated neighborhood known for its private student accommodation near a Delhi University campus. Sniffer dogs worked at the scene to help rescuers reach those still trapped inside. Rescuers pulled at least 12 people from under the rubble, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta told reporters at the scene on Monday. About 80% of the rubble had been removed and only the basement rubble remained, he said, adding that six people were killed and six others injured in the incident. Later Monday, rescuers recovered a body, raising the death toll to seven, authorities 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 even though the work had not yet been completed. Prakash Chand, a resident, said workers were in the basement carrying out excavation work when the building collapsed. Preliminary findings suggest that water accumulation in the basement and ongoing repair work on the old building may have caused the collapse, Gupta said. He said the government will draft a policy requiring regular structural audits and safety certificates for buildings used by the public, including student accommodation, nursing homes and schools. “No public activity will be allowed” in buildings that do not comply, Gupta said. After Gupta’s visit, the police arrested the owner of the building and registered a case against him. Authorities also suspended at least five municipal employees responsible for supervising building security in the area, the Press Trust of India news agency reported. Building collapses are a recurring hazard in some parts of India during the June-September monsoon season, when heavy or prolonged rain can weaken older structures.
