A devastating fire ripped through a multi‑storey building in New Delhi’s Malviya Nagar on Wednesday, killing at least 21 people and injuring several others as residents and foreign visitors scrambled to escape the fast‑spreading flames.
The building, located in a densely populated neighbourhood popular with students and young professionals, housed a restaurant on the ground floor and a hotel above. As thick smoke engulfed the structure, terrified occupants were seen hanging from windows and shouting for help while firefighters battled the blaze with eight fire engines.
More than 40 people were rescued and rushed to nearby hospitals, Delhi police said. The cause of the fire remains unknown.
Local residents joined emergency crews in a desperate effort to pull people from the burning building, carrying the injured to safety as flames tore through the upper floors. Some of the victims were foreign nationals who had travelled to India for medical treatment — a common practice in the capital, where many stay in nearby hotels or rented accommodation during their visits.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, announcing financial assistance of 200,000 rupees (about $2,088) for the families of those killed.
Fires of this scale are tragically common in India, where building safety violations and lax enforcement of regulations frequently lead to deadly incidents. Wednesday’s blaze has once again raised urgent questions about fire preparedness and safety compliance in one of the world’s most densely populated cities.
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