Delhi Hotel Fire Tragedy: 21 Dead, Over 40 Rescued as Massive Blaze Engulfs Malviya Nagar Hotel

New Delhi, June 3: At least 21 people lost their lives and more than 40 others were rescued after a devastating fire broke out at a hotel in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar area on Wednesday morning, triggering a massive emergency response and rescue operation.

According to officials, the Delhi Fire Services received information about the blaze at around 8:48 a.m., following which multiple fire tenders were rushed to the spot. Firefighters, police personnel and local residents worked together to evacuate those trapped inside the building.

Authorities said many of the deceased were foreign nationals, primarily from countries in Central Asia and Africa. The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment, with several reported to be in critical condition.

Max Hospital, Saket, confirmed that 39 victims were brought to the facility. Of these, 18 were declared dead on arrival, while 15 were admitted to intensive care units. Eight of the ICU patients are reportedly on ventilator support. Five people with minor injuries were discharged after treatment, while one severely burned patient was referred to Safdarjung Hospital.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as thick smoke engulfed the building. Residents from nearby localities rushed to help rescue trapped guests, breaking windows and using blankets to assist people attempting to escape.

Local resident Anita Chaudhary said she heard multiple explosion-like sounds before noticing flames and smoke emerging from the hotel. Another resident, Sanjay Goyal, said people immediately gathered to help after seeing smoke billowing from the building.

Following several hours of firefighting and rescue efforts, officials declared the rescue operation complete and cordoned off the premises for investigation. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown and authorities have launched a detailed probe.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy and announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the families of each deceased victim and ₹50,000 for those injured.

President Droupadi Murmu described the incident as “extremely heartbreaking” and extended condolences to the bereaved families while wishing a speedy recovery to those injured.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and several other leaders also expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and called for all possible assistance to the victims and their families.

Officials said a comprehensive investigation will determine the cause of the fire and whether any safety lapses contributed to one of the deadliest fire tragedies witnessed in the national capital in recent years.