At least 21 people were killed and several others were injured after a fire broke out at a restaurant in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar area on Wednesday. Officials said that many of those killed in the fire are foreign nationals, mainly from Central Asian and African countries.
More than 37 people were rescued and rushed to hospital where 18 were declared brought dead, officials said.
The Delhi police has registered an FIR under charges of culpable homicide. According to sources, a team was immediately dispatched to the house of the hotel owner who is absconding.
The blaze erupted at the Flourish Stay B&B in Hauz Rani, a congested locality in Malviya Nagar, prompting a major emergency response from the Delhi Fire Service (DFS).
According to fire officers, the building has a basement, ground floor and five upper floors. A restaurant was being operated on the ground floor, while the rest of the building was being used as a hotel.
According to police sources, it was early morning when the chef arrived at the ground floor eatery and switched on the setup before starting his work. Shortly after, a blast-like sound was heard, and within minutes the entire building was swept in flames, trapping several guests on the upper floors.
The hotel had only one entry-exit. The fire NOC is under scanner, they said.
According to a DFS official cited by news agency PTI, multiple firefighting units, including two water tenders, two water bowsers, a quick response vehicle and other fire engines, were rushed to the spot after authorities received a distress call.
During the rescue operation, fire personnel entered the smoke-filled basement and managed to evacuate three people trapped inside.
SDM and DDMA South District official Jitendra Kumar said the DDMA cell was activated immediately after information about the incident was received on Wednesday morning, with all Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs) directed to rush to the spot.
A police source said the building had 26 rooms, though the exact number is still being verified.
A foreign couple trapped on the fourth floor broke a windowpane and an aluminium grill and tried to climb down using a pipe. Both fell.
Overhead wires broke the woman's fall, even though she landed headfirst to the ground. The two were rushed to a hospital in a critical state. It was not yet known whether they survived.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the fire and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of each of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
"The loss of lives due to a fire incident in Malviya Nagar, Delhi is tragic. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. Wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. Authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected," the prime minister said in a post on X.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also condoled the deaths while urging party workers to extend every possible assistance in the relief and rescue operations.
"The news of the loss of several lives due to a fire in Malviya Nagar, Delhi, is deeply tragic. I express my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.
"I urge all Congress workers to extend every possible assistance in the relief and rescue operations. I hope for the speedy recovery of the injured," he said.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed grief over the loss of lives and demanded the state government and authorities to provide adequate and timely compensation, including prompt medical care to the victims.
(With inputs from PTI)
