Deadly Fire at South Delhi Hotel Kills 21, Injures Over 40
New Delhi: A massive fire swept through Hotel Flourish Stays, a bed-and-breakfast facility in South Delhi's Malviya Nagar area on Wednesday morning, killing at least 21 people and injuring more than 40 others in one of the deadliest blazes in the Indian capital in recent years . The fire broke out around 9:45 AM when Delhi Fire Services received the emergency call, and the blaze quickly engulfed the building, trapping many guests inside.
Delhi Police has registered an FIR under the culpable homicide section and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the deadly fire incident . The hotel is operated by three partners, with Lokesh Bajaj identified as the owner, and investigators are now examining the property's fire safety standards, NOC compliance, building permissions, and licensing issues Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have originated from the restaurant on the ground floor, though the exact cause remains unknown.
A large-scale rescue operation involving Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Disaster Management Authority, police, and ambulance services was launched immediately after the fire broke out . More than 40 people were evacuated and transferred to two different hospitals 38 admitted to Max Hospital where 18 were declared dead on arrival and 20 were injured, while others were taken to Niras Hospital Tragically, ten Delhi Police personnel, including five head constables and five constables, were injured during the rescue operation as they were among the first responders to enter the burning premises and are now hospitalized for treatment . Several victims remain in critical condition, and authorities fear the death toll may rise further.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy and announced financial assistance from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund, granting ₹2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased person and ₹50,000 to each injured person . Political leaders across party lines have expressed grief over the incident, which has reignited concerns over fire safety enforcement in Delhi's congested commercial-residential areas . The partners operating Hotel Flourish Stays reportedly own several other hotels and guest houses in Delhi, raising questions about oversight of multiple properties in the city.
