At least 21 people have been killed in a massive fire that broke out at a bed-and-breakfast in a five-storey building in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar area on Wednesday, officials said. The death toll in the tragedy could rise as several injured remain in critical condition.
Many of the victims are foreign nationals, mainly from Central Asian and African countries, officials said. The rescued guests reportedly included family members of patients admitted to a nearby private hospital.
Officials said the fire started around 8.30 am at the nearby Lemon Green Restaurant, but police later clarified that it was sparked in the hotel building.
The building has a basement, ground floor and five upper floors, according to fire officer AK Malik. The restaurant was being operated on the ground floor, while the rest of the building being used as a hotel.
According to police, the hotel had only one entry-exit. And the fire NOC is under scanner, they said. More than 40 people were rescued and rushed to hospital where 21 were declared brought dead.
A source from the AIIMS said the hospital received 13 patients, three of them sustained injuries from fall, while 10 were rescuers.
Teams from the Delhi Fire Services, police and disaster response units searched the smoke-blackened structure for survivors. Victims were seen being pulled out of the building and rushed to hospitals by ambulances.
Video footage from the spot showed rescue personnel evacuating people from the basement of the building.
The building suffered extensive damage in the fire, with debris, shattered glass and burnt materials strewn in the vicinity. A large crowd gathered near the site as authorities cordoned off the spot and diverted traffic to facilitate rescue operations.
Speaking to reporters, an eyewitness said he noticed flames and smoke billowing from the building around 9.30 am while passing through the area.
"I saw four to six people breaking the glass and jumping from the building to escape the fire. One person's leg appeared to have been broken after the fall," he said.
The witness said rescue teams later evacuated the area and traffic movement was rerouted around the site. Locals played a key role in the rescue efforts before emergency services arrived, according to eyewitnesses.
A mattress-seller spread mattresses on the ground to cushion the fall of people, while others administered CPR to injured victims.
Residents also claimed that the building, which was operating as a hotel, earlier housed a Khadi Bhandar and was frequently used by relatives of patients undergoing treatment at the nearby private hospital.
Some locals alleged that there was only one exit from the building and claimed that firefighters reached the spot nearly an hour after the blaze broke out. These claims could not be independently verified.
The rescue operation is over with the building being cordoned off for police investigation.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.
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