What began as an ordinary Sunday afternoon in Delhi's student hub Satya Niketan turned into a scene of panic and devastation after a five-storey building housing a boys' PG collapsed, trapping several people under the debris.

Residents described hearing a deafening crash before ambulances and emergency vehicles began rushing into the narrow lane. Students living in neighbouring buildings said they felt the ground shake, while locals claimed that some of those trapped beneath the rubble were calling for help on their phones.

The building, identified by officials as a PG accommodation known as 'Hostel Daze', collapsed on Sunday afternoon near Nanakpura Gurdwara in South Delhi's Satya Niketan area.

A PCR call was received at the South Campus police station at 1.34 pm, following which police, fire personnel, ambulances and rescue teams rushed to the spot. NDRF personnel also joined the operation.

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Three people had been rescued and taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, where they were stated to be in critical condition, according to officials.

'We watched bodies being carried out before our eyes'

A resident recalled the horrifying moments immediately after the collapse.

"Initially, there was a tremendous crashing sound, followed shortly by the blaring sirens of ambulances. When we rushed outside, we saw numerous ambulances arriving at the scene. We then watched bodies being carried out right before our eyes," the resident said.

Amid the rescue operation, the resident also raised questions about the sudden disappearance of PG signboards in the locality.

"Satya Niketan is known as a student hub for a reason. If this entire locality consists of PGs, why isn't there a single PG signboard visible right now? Where have the boards gone?" the resident asked.

According to the resident, other PG accommodations in the lane were also cleared after the incident, with students asked to leave.

"We have been standing here for quite some time. Other PGs in the lane have been abruptly cleared out, and students have been sent away," the resident said.

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'We had just finished our meal when the building shook'

For students living next door, the collapse came without warning.

One student, who studies at Motilal Nehru College and lives in the building adjacent to the collapsed structure, said he felt the impact immediately.

"I have been living here for two years. Initially, I also lived in a PG. Most students who come in their first year stay in PGs. In the second year, we took a flat," he said.

Now in his third year, the student said he was inside his accommodation when the incident happened.

"In the morning, we had just had lunch when the entire building shook here," he recalled.

Satya Niketan, located close to Delhi University's South Campus, is home to a large student population, with several PG accommodations, hostels and eateries operating in the area.

Friends rushed to site fearing students were trapped

The possibility of students being trapped beneath the rubble sent panic through the neighbourhood, with friends of those staying at the PG rushing to the site after hearing about the collapse.

A local said they received information that the building had collapsed with several students feared trapped.

"We were at home just a little while ago, but as soon as we received the news that a PG named 'Hostel Daze' in Satya Niketan had collapsed, with reports that around 30 to 40 students might be trapped beneath the rubble, we rushed here immediately because some of our friends were staying there as well," the local said.

The exact number of people trapped has not yet been officially confirmed.

Local estimates have ranged from more than 15 people to around 30-50 students feared to be under the debris. Officials said the exact number of trapped and injured persons was still being ascertained.

Students from several states lived in the PG

Rajen Chhetri, a local resident who works with the Delhi Police, said the five-storey building had around 15 rooms, with two to three students sharing each room.

According to him, most of the students staying at the accommodation were from Kerala, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and were studying at colleges including Motilal Nehru College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharm College and Sri Venkateswara College.

He said students were paying around Rs 12,000 per bed.

Police sources indicated that construction work was underway in the basement before the building collapsed.

Eight fire tenders and multiple emergency teams were deployed at the site. Locals and eyewitnesses also joined the initial rescue efforts, using their hands and available tools to remove debris in the desperate search for those trapped underneath.

As the rescue operation continued, anxious students and residents remained gathered outside the site, waiting for news of those still feared trapped beneath the remains of what had once been a busy student accommodation.