New Delhi | The death toll in the Malviya Nagar fire tragedy has risen to 21, including 11 foreign nationals and 10 Indians, while 16 people were injured and 19 others were in critical condition, according to official data.
According to the consolidated data, 58 people were affected by the fire incident.
The fire, which broke out at the Flourish Stay B&B in the Hauz Rani area of Malviya Nagar on Tuesday, left families anxiously waiting outside hospitals as doctors continued treatment of those battling severe burn and smoke inhalation injuries.
Among the deceased, nine were African nationals and two from Turkmenistan, while the rest were Indians.
Sixteen people sustained injuries, including five foreigners and 11 Indians.
According to the incident report, 19 patients were critical, with 10 foreign nationals on ventilator support and nine others in serious condition but not on ventilators.
No Indian patient was reported to be on ventilator support.
Max Smart Hospital reported the highest number of casualties, recording 10 deaths — six foreign nationals and four Indians.
At the same facility, six people, all foreign nationals, were on ventilator support. One more foreign national was also at the hospital in critical condition, but not on a ventilator.
At Max Super Speciality Hospital, eight people died — three foreign nationals and five Indians.
Two foreign nationals were on ventilator support in the hospital, while five other critical patients, including three foreign nationals and two Indians, were not on ventilators.
AIIMS Burns Centre reported three deaths, including two foreign nationals and one Indian.
At AIIMS Trauma Centre, 13 people were admitted. Ten injured Delhi Police personnel were undergoing treatment, while three Bangladeshi nationals remained critical, including one woman on ventilator support and two others under observation.
Two patients each were admitted to Pt Madan Mohan Malaviya Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital. One foreign national and one Indian were reported injured at Pt Madan Mohan Malaviya Hospital, while two patients remained critical at Safdarjung Hospital.
The official data also noted that two Nepalese nationals had been discharged from the hospital after treatment.
Authorities said continued efforts are being made to identify victims, assist families and monitor the condition of those undergoing treatment.
New Delhi | External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday expressed his deepest condolences at the loss of lives, including of foreign nationals, in a fire incident in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar.
In a post on X, he also said the Ministry of External Affairs is in touch with embassies and is extending all necessary assistance.
The massive fire broke out in a hotel in Hauz Rani in Malviya Nagar area on Wednesday morning, killing at least 21 people, including 11 foreigners whose ailing relatives were being treated in hospitals nearby.
The blaze at the Flourish Stay B&B started around 8.30 am and quickly spread, catching everybody unawares. Rescue workers, including many locals, rushed to the spot to pull out those trapped inside the five-floor narrow building.
"Express my deepest condolences at the loss of lives, including of foreign nationals, in the tragic fire incident in Malviya Nagar, New Delhi. Pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," Jaishankar posted.
"MEA is in touch with Embassies and is extending all necessary assistance," he added.
The Bangladesh High Commission also offered condolences to the bereaved families affected by the fire tragedy, and said so far five Bangladeshi nationals could be traced as injured.
In a post on X, the high commission said three of the injured Bangladeshi nationals are receiving treatment at Max hospital, Saket, while the remaining two are recuperating at Safdarjung Hospital.
Earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in a post on X, said, "The fire tragedy in Malviya Nagar, Delhi, is heartbreaking. My deepest condolences go out to those who lost their loved ones in this incident. I pray to the Almighty to give them the strength to bear this immense loss. I also wish the injured a speedy recovery."
At least 58 people were rescued and rushed to different hospitals where 21 were declared brought dead, officials said. The dead include 10 Indians.
The death toll in the fire -- amongst the worst in the city in recent years -- could rise with several of the injured in a critical condition, the officials said.
New Delhi | The hotel in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar that went up in flames on Wednesday, killing at least 21 people, was allegedly operating nearly four times beyond its permitted capacity, had no fire safety clearance and functioned from a building where additional floors were constructed without informing authorities, officials said.
The deceased include 11 foreign nationals. At least 19 of the 35 injured remained in critical condition across hospitals in Delhi, according to official data.
The fire engulfed the ground, first and second floors of the five-storey building, which had only one entry-exit point, while the rest of the floors were affected by heat and smoke.
The establishment had permission for only six rooms under the Delhi government's bed-and-breakfast policy but was allegedly operating around 25 rooms, including some in the basement, police sources said.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the building had only ground floor plus one storey around six to seven years ago, when fire clearance was not required. Additional floors were allegedly added later without informing authorities. Officials said the complete building plan was never submitted despite directions from authorities.
The building was reportedly more than 15 metres high, making a Fire Safety Clearance or No Objection Certificate (NOC) mandatory. However, authorities said they neither received the required documents nor any response from the owner, and no fire clearance was ever issued.
The blaze erupted early Wednesday at the Flourish Stay B&B in Hauz Rani, a congested locality in Malviya Nagar. The structure housed a restaurant on the ground floor while the basement and upper floors were being used as hotel accommodation.
According to police sources, the fire may have started shortly after a chef arrived at the ground-floor restaurant and switched on electrical equipment before beginning work. A blast-like sound was reportedly heard moments later, following which flames rapidly spread.
The building, comprising a basement, ground floor and five upper storeys, had only one entry-exit point, officials said.
"As far as a fire NOC is concerned, we had not received any reference from either the building authorities or the licensing agency," Deputy Chief Fire Officer A K Malik told PTI.
Officials said the owner had applied for a trade licence, but the complete building plan was not submitted. The owner had been asked to provide the plans to the Building Department, which was required to share them with the Fire Department, but the process was never completed.
The design of the building made evacuation extremely difficult, Malik said.
"Buildings of this nature act like a shaft, where heat and smoke generated by a fire can engulf the entire structure within seconds, making evacuation even more challenging," he said.
Police have registered an FIR under charges of culpable homicide and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in connection with the incident.
A police source said teams had conducted raids at multiple locations, including the residences of the building owner and the licence holder registered with the tourism department.
"Multiple teams are searching for the accused. Alerts have also been issued to railway and airport authorities to prevent them from fleeing," the source said.
According to investigators, the building owner has been identified as Lavkesh Bajaj and the tourism department licence was issued in the name of Jai Mishra.
The hotel was being run by three partners who are believed to own several other hotels and guesthouses across Delhi, police sources said.
Bajaj, said to be in his 50s, is a resident of south Delhi's Saket area, though police have not revealed his exact address. Investigators said Bajaj and his wife are absconding and are suspected to have fled in a Mercedes car. Their residence was found locked when police teams visited it.
Multiple teams have been deployed to trace the couple, with investigators scrutinising CCTV footage from various locations to track their movements.
Police sources said Bajaj is also linked to a firm believed to be engaged in construction-related activities, and investigators are examining his business interests as part of the probe.
No arrests have been made so far. The cause of the fire is under investigation.