Fire at Delhi’s Malviya Nagar hotel kills 21, including 18 foreign nationals

At least 21 people, including 18 foreign nationals, were killed in a fire at a hotel in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar area on Wednesday (June 3). More than 40 people were rescued as authorities launched an investigation into the blaze.

At least 21 people, including 18 foreign nationals, were killed after a fire ripped through a hotel in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar on Wednesday, in one of the deadliest blazes in the national capital in recent years.

The dead included people from Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique and Liberia. Several of the victims were from Central Asia and Africa, while local media reports said many had travelled to Delhi for medical treatment.

More than 40 people were rescued and taken to hospitals after the fire broke out at the Lemon Green Restaurant operating on the ground floor of Flourish Stay, a bed-and-breakfast establishment in the congested Malviya Nagar neighbourhood. Authorities fear the death toll could rise further as several people remain critically injured.

“It is with profound sorrow that 21 persons have been declared dead in this tragic incident,” Delhi Police said in a statement.

Authorities received information about the blaze shortly before 9 am and rushed firefighting teams to the site. At least eight fire engines and multiple firefighting units, including water tenders, water bowsers and a quick response vehicle, were deployed to control the fire.

According to officials, the fire spread through the building and to a nearby eatery.

Through the coordinated efforts of police, fire services and other emergency responders, more than 40 people were rescued and shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.

According to a Delhi Fire Service official, rescue workers entered the basement of the building and rescued at least three people who had been trapped inside.

Several of the injured were admitted to hospitals across the city. A spokesperson at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences told Reuters that the hospital received 13 patients, two of whom were in a critical condition. A nearby hospital said eight people were critically injured.

Television footage showed flames engulfing the building and thick black smoke rising into the sky as firefighters battled the blaze.

Witnesses said several people trapped on the upper floors jumped from the building in an attempt to escape the fire and smoke. Local residents brought mattresses from nearby shops and spread them on the road to cushion their fall.

“People spread mattresses, and a woman from the third floor jumped on it with a little kid,” witness Sher Khan said.

“There is a mattress shop here … We took the mattresses from there and laid them on the road to help those who were jumping out of the building,” local resident Wasim Raja told ANI.

Mohammad Anees, another resident, told AFP: “We got mattresses from a nearby bedding shop because people needed to be rescued. Once the mattresses were laid out, five women jumped from the building and landed safely on them.”

Some reports suggested the building had only one entry and exit point and lacked proper ventilation.

According to sources cited by India Today, the establishment had been granted a licence by the Delhi government under the Bed and Breakfast concept. Under the terms of the licence, permission had been given to operate six rooms. However, the hotel was reportedly operating 25 rooms, including some in the basement.

Local lawmaker Satish Upadhyay said around 47 guests were staying at the property when the fire broke out.

“An inquiry will be conducted, and anyone who has broken norms and is responsible will be immediately arrested,” Upadhyay said.

Local administration official Jitendra Kumar said there was reportedly a restaurant operating on the ground floor of the building and that the fire was most likely connected to it.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as tragic, expressed condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

“My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

Modi said authorities were providing “all possible assistance” to those affected and announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased person and Rs 50,000 to those injured.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also expressed grief over the tragedy. The Delhi government said it was “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives” and remains committed to providing “every possible support” to affected families.

“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. Immediately upon receiving information about the incident, teams of Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, DDMA, CATS Ambulance Services and other emergency response agencies were mobilised and launched rescue and relief operations. Their swift response helped in rescuing & evacuating several persons from the affected premises.”

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

Building fires remain a recurring problem in India due to inadequate firefighting infrastructure and violations of safety regulations. Electrical short circuits caused by poorly maintained wiring are among the leading causes of such incidents.

In March, a fire at a government-run hospital in eastern India killed 10 critically ill patients. The last major fire incident in Delhi claimed 43 lives when factory workers sleeping inside a building in the city’s old quarter were killed in 2019.

(With inputs from agencies)