At least 21 people were killed and more than 40 others were rescued after a massive fire broke out at a hotel in South Delhi's Malviya Nagar, on Wednesday morning, officials said. The blaze triggered scenes of panic as people scrambled to escape the smoke-filled building. The establishment, named Flourish Stay B&B, was granted a licence by the Delhi government under its Bed and Breakfast scheme.
Dramatic visuals from the spot showed two women jumping from the building in a desperate attempt to escape the flames and thick smoke. Their condition was not immediately known.
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As many as eight fire tenders were rushed to control the blaze and evacuate those trapped inside, an official release said. Information about the fire was received by the Delhi Fire Service at around 9 am.
According to a Delhi Fire Service (DFS) official cited by news agency PTI, the initial response included two water tenders, two water bowsers, a quick response vehicle and other firefighting units.
People who sustained injuries in the fire incident were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
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According to sources, the hotel had been granted permission to operate six rooms under the Bed and Breakfast scheme. However, it was allegedly operating 25 rooms, including some in the basement, raising questions about compliance and safety norms.
Three people were initially rescued from the basement. The death toll continued to rise as rescue teams searched the premises and evacuated people from different parts of the hotel.
After the blaze was extinguished, visuals from the site showed the building's facade completely charred, with windows blackened by smoke and fire damage visible across multiple floors.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Authorities are expected to investigate whether fire safety norms were followed and whether the hotel's operations were in compliance with the permissions granted under the Bed and Breakfast scheme.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives in the tragedy, announcing an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lah each to families who lost their loved ones and Rs 50,000 each to families of those who were 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. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000," he said in a post on X.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also expressed grief over the tragedy, saying her government is closely monitoring the situation and that all necessary medical assistance and support was being extended to the affected families.
"Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in the devastating fire incident in Malviya Nagar. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured and for strength & courage to all those affected by this heartbreaking tragedy," she said in a post on X.
(With inputs from agencies, Amardeep Kumar)
