At least 21 people, including 18 foreign nationals, were killed in a fire at a hotel in Delhi on Wednesday, in one of the worst such incidents in the national capital since 2022, reports Reuters.
The nationalities of the victims have yet to be officially verified.
A foreign ministry source in Dhaka told TIMES of Bangladesh that 10 Bangladeshis were staying at the hotel. Two had already been admitted to hospital for pre-existing illnesses. Of the remaining eight, seven sustained injuries, while one is still missing. The source added that one of the injured is in critical condition.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi said that five Bangladeshi nationals have so far been confirmed injured in the fire, reports UNB.
“So far five Bangladeshi nationals have been identified as injured. Three are receiving treatment at Max Hospital in Saket, and two are being treated at Safdarjung Hospital,” the High Commission said.
The mission is in constant contact with authorities and is closely monitoring their condition and well-being.
The foreign victims include people from South Asian and African countries who had travelled to India for medical treatment or to accompany relatives receiving care, local media reported.
The building in Malviya Nagar allegedly operated as a bed-and-breakfast catering to patients and relatives of those receiving treatment at a nearby private hospital.
More than 40 people were rescued and taken to hospital. It remains unclear how many were inside the building when the fire broke out, and the cause is not yet known.
According to Reuters, several people had jumped out of the burning building in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar to escape the flames, witnesses said, with residents dragging mattresses from a nearby store to try to break their fall.
“People spread mattresses, and a woman from the third floor jumped on it with a little kid,” witness Sher Khan said.
Television footage showed two people jumping from a higher floor of the building as it was engulfed in flames, with smoke billowing out.
Local people who helped in the initial rescue said the fire broke out on the ground and first floors of the four-storey building, trapping those on higher floors.
“There is a mattress shop here … We took the mattresses from there and laid them on the road to help those who were jumping out of the building,” Wasim Raja, a local resident, told news agency ANI.
The fire broke out a little before 9am, and eight fire tenders were dispatched to douse the blaze, police said in a statement.
The fire was extinguished around midday, a witness said.
“Through the coordinated efforts of police, fire services, and other emergency responders, more than 40 persons have been rescued and shifted to nearby hospitals for medical treatment,” police said.
“It is with profound sorrow that 21 persons have been declared dead in this tragic incident,” it said.
A spokesperson at the state-run All India Institute of Medical Sciences told Reuters the hospital had received 13 patients, two of whom were critical.
“There was reportedly a restaurant operating on the ground floor of the building … it is most likely that the fire was connected to that restaurant,” local administration official Jitendra Kumar told reporters.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences for the loss of lives in a post on X. “Authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected,” he said.
Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi conveyed deep condolences following the tragic incident. “Our heartfelt condolences go to all the bereaved families and sincere sympathy to all those affected by this tragedy.”
Bangladesh wished speedy recovery of the injured and commended the tireless efforts of the rescue and emergency response personnel.
The building in the Malviya Nagar neighborhood in the southern part of the city had a restaurant on the ground floor and a hotel above.
The predominantly residential area is densely populated and is popular with students and young professionals.
The blaze was extinguished with the help of eight fire engines, and more than 40 people were rescued and taken to nearby hospitals, Delhi police said in a statement.
The cause of the blaze was not immediately known, reports AP.
Images from the scene showed firefighters trying to douse the blaze as thick smoke billowed from the building. Some people trapped inside were seen hanging from windows and shouting for help as flames and smoke swept through parts of the building.
Local residents also joined rescue efforts, helping evacuate people trapped inside and carrying some of the injured to safety.
Some of the victims were foreign nationals who had traveled to India for medical treatment, AP reported quoting local media.
Many foreign patients travel to New Delhi for medical treatment and often stay in nearby hotels or residential accommodation during their visits.
