Twenty-one people, at least 12 of them foreign nationals, were killed Wednesday when a fire swept through a budget bed-and-breakfast in south New Delhi, according to WION. The death toll may rise — several of the injured remain on ventilators.
The owner was not at the property when the fire broke out, according to WION. Police have since filed a culpable homicide case against him.
The fire broke out around 8:30 a.m. at Flourish Stay B&B in Malviya Nagar’s Hauz Rani area, where many guests were in the city for medical treatment at nearby hospitals. Getting crews and equipment in was a problem — the lanes around the building are narrow, and fire trucks had trouble pushing through. They pulled more than 40 people out of the building; most were rushed to nearby hospitals.
The property had no business operating the way it did. Windows were sealed or barred with grilles, leaving guests nowhere to go. A single exit served the entire building, and multiple floors were packed well beyond safe capacity. Outside, the lanes were barely wide enough for a car, let alone a fire truck.
Four Nigerians were among the dead, along with two nationals each from Kyrgyzstan and Mozambique, and one each from Liberia and Uzbekistan, authorities said. Nationals from Bangladesh, Cameroon, and Libya are among those still on ventilators. The critically injured are being treated at Max Super Speciality Hospital and AIIMS.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu has ordered a month-long inspection of hotels, guesthouses, and commercial properties citywide.
The Ministry of External Affairs said it is in contact with the relevant embassies and assisting families of those killed and injured. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar offered condolences on X. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced relief payments of 2 lakh rupees (approximately $2,400) to families of each victim and 50,000 rupees (approximately $600) to the injured.
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