At least 21 people, including 18 foreign nationals, were killed after a fire broke out at a hotel in New Delhi on Wednesday, according to police and broadcaster CNN-News18.
The incident is being described as one of the worst fire tragedies in India’s capital since 2022.
CNN-News18 reported that the foreign nationals killed included people from Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique and Liberia.
The fire started in the morning at Flourish Stay, a bed-and-breakfast located in the congested Malviya Nagar area of South Delhi, Delhi Police said in a statement.
“It is with profound sorrow that 21 persons have been declared dead in this tragic incident,” the police said.
Witnesses said several people jumped from the burning building to escape the flames. Local residents brought mattresses from a nearby shop and placed them on the road to help break their fall.
Television footage showed two people jumping from a higher floor as the building was engulfed in flames, with thick smoke rising from the structure.
Residents who helped in the initial rescue said the fire began on the ground and first floors of the four-story building, trapping people on the upper floors.
Police said rescue and search operations were continuing, while more than 40 people were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. The blaze was eventually brought under control with the help of eight fire engines, police said.
“All concerned agencies remain deployed at the spot to ensure every possible assistance to those affected,” the force added.
The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.
Building fires are common in India due to poor firefighting arrangements and routine disregard for safety regulations. Electrical short circuits, often caused by poorly maintained wiring, remain one of the leading causes of fire incidents in the country.
In March, a fire at a government-run hospital in eastern India killed at least 10 critically ill patients.