At least 21 people, including 18 foreign nationals, lost their lives in a tragic hotel fire in Delhi, India, on Wednesday, according to police and broadcaster CNN-News18.
Among the victims were Nigerians, as well as citizens from Bangladesh, Mozambique, and Liberia. Local media reported that many of the victims had traveled to India for medical treatment or to accompany relatives receiving care.
The fire broke out in a four-storey building in the Malviya Nagar area, which allegedly operated as a bed-and-breakfast catering to patients and their families from a nearby private hospital. Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes as residents jumped from upper floors to escape the flames, with local people spreading mattresses on the street to break their fall.
“People spread mattresses, and a woman from the third floor jumped on it with a little kid,” witness Sher Khan said. Television footage captured at least two people leaping from higher floors as smoke and fire engulfed the building.
Local resident Wasim Raja said, “There is a mattress shop here … We took the mattresses from there and laid them on the road to help those who were jumping out of the building.”
The fire reportedly started on the ground and first floors, trapping residents above. It broke out just before 9 a.m. local time (0330 GMT), and eight fire tenders were dispatched to control the blaze. Authorities declared the fire extinguished around midday.
“Through the coordinated efforts of police, fire services, and other emergency responders, more than 40 persons have been rescued and shifted to nearby hospitals for medical treatment,” police said in a statement. “It is with profound sorrow that 21 persons have been declared dead in this tragic incident.”
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences confirmed it received 13 patients from the scene, including two in critical condition. Local officials suggested the fire may have originated from a restaurant on the building’s ground floor.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on X, stating, “Authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected.”
The incident underscores the ongoing challenges of fire safety and emergency preparedness in densely populated urban areas, leaving families and communities across nations mourning the tragic loss of life.
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