NEW DELHI: A fire swept through a hotel building in south Delhi on Wednesday, killing at least 21 people, including foreign nationals, and injuring several others in one of the capital’s deadliest fire incidents in recent years.
The blaze broke out shortly before 9 a.m. at a hotel in the Hauz Rani area of Malviya Nagar. Firefighters and rescue teams battled thick smoke as guests became trapped inside the five-storey building, officials said.
More than 40 people were rescued and taken to nearby hospitals. Several injured victims remained in critical condition late Wednesday.
Authorities said the dead included foreign nationals from African countries and Central Asia. Many of them had travelled to New Delhi for medical treatment or were accompanying relatives receiving care at nearby hospitals.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar expressed condolences and said the Ministry of External Affairs was coordinating with foreign missions.
“MEA is in touch with embassies and is extending all necessary assistance,” Jaishankar said in a social media post.
The Bangladesh High Commission said five Bangladeshi nationals were among those injured. Three were undergoing treatment in south Delhi hospitals, while two others were recovering at another medical facility.
Preliminary investigations suggest the fire may have originated in a restaurant operating within the building. Authorities have launched an inquiry into the cause of the blaze and possible violations of fire safety regulations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed condolences to the victims’ families and wished a speedy recovery to those injured. The Prime Minister’s Office also announced financial assistance for the families of those killed.
Officials said rescue operations had concluded and investigators were examining whether safety lapses contributed to the high death toll.
