Bengal teen has narrow escape in Delhi building collapse: No water supply, so went to friend’s house

On Sunday, a first-year BA student from Motilal Nehru College named Sana Varash narrowly escaped death when a Delhi building collapsed. The 18-year-old from West Bengal was living in a three-story building on the third floor with two roommates. At around noon, Varash woke up to find that there was no water supply in the building.

Deciding to freshen up, he walked to a friend's house nearby. This quick decision ended up saving his life, as he was later treated at the trauma center. Varash had been joking to his friend about the building potentially collapsing for weeks, and his fears were not unfounded as the stairs leading to his room were narrow, dilapidated, and damp.

Varash, who pays Rs 14,000 monthly for rent, shared a common bathroom with his flatmates and had limited space for belongings. All of his possessions, including his Class 12 certificate, CUET scorecard, Aadhaar card, and Metro card, are now buried under the debris. He is currently staying with his friend whose house he visited in the afternoon, while his flatmates Nitish and Neeraj are still at AIIMS for treatment.