• Source:JND
HighLights
  1. According to the police, the Flourish Stay B&B had permission for only six rooms but was operating 25 illegally.
  2. An eyewitness, among the first responders, said that the basement was locked and took around 20 minutes to open.
  3. At least 40 guests were reportedly staying at the hotel, and most of them were sleeping when the fire engulfed the hotel.

Malviya Nagar Fire: In another tragic incident in the national capital within a week, at least 21 people, mostly foreigners, have lost their lives while many others have sustained severe burn injuries after a massive fire engulfed a five-storey building in Hauz Rani, a congested locality in Delhi's Malviya Nagar. The building housed a restaurant, Lemon Green, and a bread-and-breakfast (B&B) stay facility, named Flourish Stay B&B. The restaurant was being operated on the ground floor, while the rest of the building was being used as a hotel.

The fire, which started around 8:30 am, was initially reported to have erupted near Lemon Green Restaurant. However, police later clarified that it was sparked in the hotel building. According to Malviya Nagar SDM, Jitendra Kumar, 47 people have been rescued so far, while 2-3 persons are in critical condition. He said that the fire department is yet to ascertain the cause of the fire.

"Our search and rescue operation ended at 12:12. A total of 47 people have been rescued, and 21 have died, with two or three people in critical condition. There is a hotel below the building, although the fire department has not been able to confirm the cause of the fire. The fire started on the ground floor," Jitendra Singh said.

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Among the casualties were foreign nationals, many from Central Asian and African countries, staying in the hotel to attend to their kin admitted in Max Hospital, minutes away. Visuals from the area showed high flames rising in the air, and wires twisted out of shape in the heat, hanging precariously. Glass lay shattered all around the smoke-charred building.

Malviya Nagar Fire: What Led To Such a High Number Of Casualties?

While the officials are yet to ascertain the cause of the fire, a report by News18, citing a statement from Max Hospital, where most of the victims were taken to, said that a cylinder blast in the basement of the building caused the fire. The authorities are also looking into other violations that were in place and the permits that this place had to be used as a commercial property. "The fire NOC is under the scanner," Delhi police officials said, as reported by PTI.

Single Entry-Exit Point Trapped Victims:

According to officials, the whole building has a single entry and exit point, which was reportedly blocked due to the fire. Some eyewitnesses recount that many people died in the basement due to suffocation, as they were unable to vacate the premises in time.

A chef at the Lemon Tree restaurant said that the fire had begun when he entered the premises and got to know about it when he turned on the electric stove.

"When I tried to light it, the fire suddenly broke out. I found out that the fire was already burning in the hotel. I immediately told my assistant that the hotel was on fire. When I came out, I saw that the hotel was burning. I somehow managed to escape from there," Kesar Singh said as quoted by NDTV.

Illegal Rooms Expose Regulatory Lapses:

According to Delhi police officials, the Flourish Stay B&B had permission for only six rooms, granted under the Delhi government's bed and breakfast policy, but was operating 25 rooms illegally. The facility even had rooms in the basement. The officials said that the tragedy was "perhaps waiting to happen".

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An eyewitness, among the first responders, said that the basement was locked and took a long time to open. "It took more than 20 minutes to open the basement area," he alleged. A report by News18 stated that the Lemon Tree restaurant was also licensed under the B&B concept but was functioning beyond approved limits. At least 40 guests were reportedly staying at the hotel, and most of them were sleeping when the fire engulfed the hotel.

Tragic Scenes Played Out All Over:

As thick smoke engulfed the building and flames spread rapidly, several people were seen breaking window panes and calling for help. A woman holding a young child jumped from the third floor after local residents spread mattresses on the ground below in an attempt to save those trapped inside. Fortunately, both the child and the woman survived.

At the Max Hospital across the road, stunned relatives crowded the waiting area searching for their loved ones, scanning lists and making frantic phone calls as the injured and the dead were brought in. "We can't recognise them by looking at pictures; it's unrecognisable. Everyone is severely burnt," said one man sobbing uncontrollably.

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Max Hospital said in a statement that 39 patients were received at the emergency department. Of these, 18 were brought dead, while 15 were admitted to the ICU, including eight who are on ventilator support and are in critical condition.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences received 13 patients -- three of them sustained injuries from a fall, and 10 were those who got hurt while rescuing those trapped in the burning building.


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