At Least 20 Killed in Massive Fire at Delhi Restaurant-Hotel; Foreign Nationals Among Victims

NEW DELHI:
A massive fire at a restaurant-cum-hotel building in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar area on Wednesday morning claimed multiple lives and left several others injured, triggering a major rescue and firefighting operation. Sources said at least 20 people have been killed.

The blaze erupted at the Lemon Green Restaurant located in the Hauz Rani area of Malviya Nagar. According to officials, the fire was reported at around 8.50 am, following which multiple units of the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) rushed to the spot.

Officials said the incident occurred in a five-storey building that housed the Lemon Green Restaurant in the basement along with hotel accommodation on the upper floors. The building reportedly had around 25 rooms and was accommodating nearly 40 guests at the time of the incident.

Authorities stated that many of those staying at the hotel were foreign nationals who had reportedly come to India for medical treatment.

According to official information available till the filing of this report, at least 10 people were confirmed dead, while several others sustained injuries. However, some reports suggested that the death toll could be higher. Rescue and evacuation operations continued for several hours as firefighters searched the smoke-filled premises.

The Delhi Fire Service said several people trapped inside the building were rescued and shifted to nearby hospitals through CATS ambulances for medical treatment.

Fire department officials deployed two water tenders, two water bowsers, a quick response vehicle and additional firefighting units to control the blaze.

Visuals from the scene showed panic-stricken occupants attempting to escape from the burning building, with some reportedly jumping from upper floors to save themselves from the flames and thick smoke.

Officials said the fire falls under the jurisdiction of the Nehru Place fire station.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as smoke rapidly engulfed the multi-storey structure. Most hotel guests were reportedly asleep when the fire broke out.

Kesar Singh, a chef working at the restaurant, recounted the terrifying moments before the blaze spread across the building. He said the incident occurred when he attempted to switch on an electric stove in the morning.

“As soon as I tried to switch on the stove, flames suddenly flared up. I immediately alerted my assistant that the hotel was on fire,” he said.

The chef said that when he stepped outside, he saw flames engulfing the entire building and somehow managed to escape safely.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the fire. Fire officials and forensic teams are expected to examine the site after cooling operations are completed.

Police and civic authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, including possible violations related to fire safety measures in the building.

The tragedy has once again raised concerns regarding fire safety compliance in commercial establishments operating in densely populated areas of the national capital.