At least 21 people were killed and several others injured after a fire swept through a multi-story hotel in a crowded neighborhood of the Indian capital. The incident occurred on Wednesday in southern New Delhi`s Malviya Nagar area. According to local police, the blaze began in a building housing a ground-floor restaurant with lodging facilities on the upper floors.Several of the deceased victims were foreign nationals visiting India for medical care.
The tightly packed residential neighborhood is popular among students and young professionals, containing numerous eateries and budget accommodations. Eight fire engines were deployed to bring the flames under control. Emergency responders managed to rescue more than 40 individuals from the structure, transferring them to nearby medical facilities for treatment.
An official investigation into the exact cause of the disaster is currently underway. Visuals from the scene showed dense black smoke pouring from the windows while trapped occupants called for assistance. Local residents joined the initial rescue efforts, evacuating individuals and carrying the injured to safety before ambulances arrived at the site. New Delhi serves as a major hub for international medical tourism, with many overseas patients residing in short-term rentals near major hospitals.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed financial and emotional condolences to the victims` families through his office. Each family of the deceased will receive a compensation of 200,000 rupees. Structural fires remain common across India due to poorly enforced safety codes, narrow exit routes, and faulty electrical wiring. In a separate incident last March, a fire at a government-run hospital in eastern India resulted in the deaths of 10 critically ill patients.
