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- Delhi Malviya Nagar Fire Live Updates: MCD to seal unauthorised commercial buildings in South Zone
Delhi Malviya Nagar Fire Live Updates: MCD to seal unauthorised commercial buildings in South Zone
Officials earlier reported that three people were rescued from the basement and admitted to hospital. According to PTI, many of those who lost their lives are suspected to be foreigners, though official identification is still ongoing. SDM and DDMA official Jitendra Kumar said that emergency response systems were activated immediately after receiving the alert. He added that preliminary assessment suggests the fire may have started at the restaurant on the ground floor, but the exact cause remains unconfirmed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured under the PMNRF. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also expressed grief and assured full government support. Multiple agencies are investigating the cause of the fire, while relief and rescue operations continue.
Owner Lavkesh Bajaj has been detained after a lookout circular was issued in connection with the Malviya Nagar hotel fire that killed 21 people in south Delhi.
The hotel was allegedly operating at nearly four times its permitted capacity, had no fire safety clearance, and was functioning from a building where additional floors were constructed without informing authorities, officials said.
A police source said teams have conducted raids at multiple locations, including the residences of the building owner.
According to investigators, the building owner has been identified as Lavkesh Bajaj, while the tourism department licence was issued in the name of Jai Mishra.The hotel was being run by three partners, who are believed to own several other hotels and guesthouses across Delhi, police sources said.
Read more"We have decided that all such buildings which do not have requisite NOCs will be sealed," Sood told reporters after attending an emergency meeting convened by Delhi LG Taranjit Singh Sandhu to review the fire safety regime in the city.
The government will also run an awareness campaign on fire safety in residential buildings that do not require a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Delhi Fire Services, the minister said.
An immediate city-wide enforcement drive has also been ordered by the Delhi government following the Malviya Nagar fire tragedy.
A massive crackdown on illegal hotels will be ensured, said a statement from Sood’s office.
In the aftermath of the devastating fire at a hotel in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar that killed 21 people on Wednesday, the Delhi government has decided to officially withdraw its Bed and Breakfast (B&B) policy and conduct a review of all establishments operating under the scheme, Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said.
The decision follows a massive blaze at Flourish Stay, a B&B establishment in Malviya Nagar, which left 21 people dead, including 11 foreign nationals, and injured several others.
“We are going to officially withdraw the Bed and Breakfast scheme, and all establishments licensed under it will be checked,” Mishra told PTI.
“Action would be taken against operators found violating the terms of the licence. If any establishment registered under the scheme is found running more than six rooms, its licence will be cancelled,” the minister said.
According to Mishra, Flourish Stay was granted a licence under the B&B scheme in 2024 in the Silver category for six rooms. The licence is valid until 2027.
Seventeen foreign nationals were among the 21 people who lost their lives in the fire that swept through a hotel in Delhi's Malviya Nagar on Wednesday. Most of the victims were reportedly from Liberia, Nigeria, Mozambique and Bangladesh, officials said.Police officials told PTI that the hotel had permission to operate only six rooms under the Delhi government's bed-and-breakfast policy. However, it was allegedly functioning with 25 rooms, including several that had been set up in the basement, they said.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress alleged serious lapses in the response of the fire department to the deadly blaze in Delhi's Malviya Nagar.Former AAP MLA from Malviya Nagar, Somnath Bharti, claimed that fire tenders reached the spot nearly an hour after the fire broke out.
The blaze engulfed the Flourish Stay bed-and-breakfast facility housed in a five-storey building in Hauz Rani, a densely populated locality in south Delhi.
"The rescue teams were dispatched, but the fire brigade, which should have arrived within a few minutes of the incident, reached almost an hour later, despite the station just three minutes away from the spot. Residents were extremely proactive. Because of their efforts, many lives were saved. We could have saved many more lives had the fire brigade arrived on time," Somnath Bharti said.
Read moreNearly five months before the devastating fire at a bed-and-breakfast facility in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar that claimed at least 21 lives on Wednesday, the Delhi high court had directed civic and government authorities to urgently address concerns over inadequate fire safety measures in hotels, restaurants and other hospitality establishments across the city, according to news agency PTI.
Despite the court's January 7 order, authorities are yet to formulate a comprehensive action plan aimed at strengthening fire safety standards and preventing such incidents, according to petitioner Arpit Bhargava.
The issue has gained renewed attention following the deadly blaze at Flourish Stay hotel in Hauz Rani, Malviya Nagar, one of the worst fire tragedies witnessed in the capital in recent years.Bhargava alleged that repeated reminders sent to the Chief Secretary of the Delhi government, the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the Chairperson of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) seeking compliance with the court's directions have gone unanswered.
Read moreA large-scale rescue operation involving the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), police and ambulance services was launched on Wednesday after a massive fire broke out at Flourish Stay B&B in Delhi's Malviya Nagar, killing at least 21 people and injuring several others.The Delhi Fire Service received a call about the fire at around 8.50 am and rushed multiple fire tenders to the spot.
Abhilash Kumar Malik, chief fire officer (South Zone) stated, "We received a call at 8.50am that a restaurant was on fire. 7 vehicles were initially dispatched, along with an Assistant Divisional Officer. However, as calls increased, we increased the number of vehicles and the officers' category. When our team initially arrived, they conducted firefighting and a search operation. We evacuated 39 people from there and transferred them to Niras Hospital. the total number of victims has been transferred to two different hospitals. We've sent teams to different hospitals to gather details. We've just received details from Max Hospital. 38 people are admitted, of whom 18 are dead, 20 are injured."
Read moreThe fire broke out around 8:30 am at the Flourish Stay bed-and-breakfast facility located in a five-storey building in the congested Hauz Rani area of south Delhi.
Former AAP MLA from Malviya Nagar and the party's Delhi president, Somnath Bharti, alleged that the fire brigade reached the spot nearly an hour after the incident was reported.
"The rescue teams were dispatched, but the fire brigade, which should have arrived within a few minutes of the incident, reached almost an hour later, despite the station just three minutes away from the spot. Residents were extremely proactive. Because of their efforts, many lives were saved. We could have saved many more lives had the fire brigade arrived on time," Bharti said.
He further alleged negligence on the part of the government, citing previous fire incidents in the city.
He said, "In the last three months, this is the third major fire incident where the government's negligence can be seen. In February, nine people were burned alive, and the fire brigade came, but its equipment did not work. It is criminal negligence on the part of the government," Bharadwaj said.
After visiting the site, Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav also questioned the functioning of the fire department and pointed to alleged violations at the property.
"There is an absolute failure of the fire department in this case, and several other incidents have been reported in the past few days, but the government is not focusing on this. Before this, there were incidents in Palam and Vivek Vihar. There was only permission for 6 rooms, but around 20 rooms were here; there were grave lapses."
Former Delhi chief minister Atishi also expressed grief over the loss of lives and raised concerns about fire safety in the city.
In a post on X in Hindi, she said, The news of 20 lives lost in the Malviya Nagar fire is extremely heartbreaking. My condolences are with all those families who have lost their loved ones. But the question is, who will take responsibility for the repeated fire incidents in Delhi and the deaths of innocent people? Under the BJP government, why has the fire safety system deteriorated to such a deplorable state?”
The fire erupted at Flourish Stay B&B, a bed-and-breakfast facility in the area, at around 8:48 am. More than 40 people were rescued during the firefighting and evacuation operation. Officials had earlier stated that over 15 foreign nationals were among those who lost their lives in the incident.
Addressing a press conference, Max Healthcare Group Medical Director Dr Sandeep Budhiraja said eight patients injured in the blaze remain in critical condition and are currently on ventilator support.
"Eight patients are on ventilators and undergoing treatment. The majority of them have suffered from asphyxiation injuries, which are caused by smoke inhalation. All of them have minor burns, not deep burns. One patient had burns of more than 25 per cent. He was on a ventilator, so we shifted him to the burn ward at Safdarjung Hospital. Five patients were stable and came with minor injuries," Budhiraja said.
He said several patients sustained fractures after reportedly jumping from the upper floors of the building in an attempt to escape the flames.
"These patients basically had two or three types of injuries: lung injuries, minor burns, and bone injuries. Because many patients claimed they jumped from high buildings, the resulting fractures were long bone fractures and pelvic bone fractures. One patient has a spinal injury and is undergoing neurosurgery," Budhiraja said.
The doctor added that both Indian and foreign nationals were among the victims. He further said that 18 of the deceased included nine men and nine women.
At least 21 people were killed after a massive blaze engulfed a bed-and-breakfast facility operating from a five-storey building in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar earlier in the day.
Reacting to the tragedy, Soren said the incident had left him deeply saddened, according to news agency PTI.
"The heartbreaking news of the loss of lives in the fire at a hotel in Malviya Nagar, Delhi, has left me deeply distressed. May Marang Buru grant peace to the souls of the departed and provide strength to the bereaved families to endure this hour of grief," Soren posted on X.
He also prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in the fire.
Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, Babulal Marandi, also expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
"I am deeply shocked by the loss of lives due to the fire that broke out in a building in Malviya Nagar, Delhi. I extend my heartfelt condolences to those families who have lost their loved ones," Marandi wrote on X.
"More than 22 people have died there, and this is a very unfortunate incident that happened in Delhi. This area is a very congested area... here, fire tenders cannot go easily. There is no water source available. A lot of encroachment happened here... because of all this, in this area, firefighting is already very difficult... Many houses have only one staircase. A lot of smoke was there, and because of this, people have died. They didn't get the time to comeout. That's the reason why so many people died... Since they have no NOC and other things, I think there was no safety measure available there (in the building)... Till now, the Delhi fire service has rescued 36 people, and the operation is still underway."
Atul Garg, former Director of the Delhi Fire Services (DFS)
“The rescue teams were dispatched, but the fire brigade, which should have arrived within a few minutes of the incident, reached almost an hour later. Local residents were extremely proactive, and because of their efforts, many lives were saved. Out of the 50–60 people who were there, 21 casualties have been reported. Local people, like this gentleman and many others, administered CPR. Can you imagine that? I would like to say to those who engage in Hindu-Muslim politics that the Muslims who provided CPR did so without knowing who was Hindu and who was Muslim. So, let us not indulge in Hindu-Muslim politics in this country. Instead, let every individual perform their duty, just as these people did. Let us focus on the politics of work. We could have saved many more lives had the fire brigade reached on time."
AAP leader Somnath Bharti
“I extend my condolences to their families. Undoubtedly, this is a very difficult time for all those families. The government will certainly investigate the causes of the incident and determine the reasons that led to this accident. Anyone found responsible will be punished strictly in accordance with the law…I want to appeal to all Indians that there are many other issues on which politics can be done, but matters like this should not be used for political purposes."
BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal
"We activated the DDMA cell as soon as we received a call. We have come to know that a restaurant was operating on the ground floor of this building. The cause of the fire is still not known. Four bodies have been retrieved so far. 7-8 people, including the injured, have been taken to the hospital for treatment. Some people from the floors above jumped out of the building on the mattresses laid on the road by the locals."
Jitendra Kumar, SDM, DDMA, South District
According to news agency PTI, many of the deceased are believed to be foreigners, though identification is still underway. Officials said emergency response teams, including DFS, Delhi Police, DDMA and CATS, were immediately mobilised after the alert. SDM Jitendra Kumar said the exact cause of the fire is not yet known, but preliminary information suggests it may have originated from the restaurant on the ground floor.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the PMNRF. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also expressed grief and said all agencies are providing full support. Investigations are underway.
