At least 21 people were killed and over 40 others were rescued after a major fire broke out at a hotel in the Malviya Nagar area of South Delhi on Wednesday morning.
According to South Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Anant Mittal, the fire was successfully brought under control with the help of eight fire tenders. Rescue operations were carried out jointly by the Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Services, and other emergency response teams. More than 40 people were evacuated from the building and shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the tragedy and said that authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected. He also wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
The Prime Minister announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the next of kin of each deceased victim, while those injured will receive ₹50,000.
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah also conveyed their condolences to the bereaved families. In separate messages, they expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.
Home Minister Amit Shah said the local administration is actively engaged in relief and rescue operations and that the injured are being provided with the best possible medical care.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also expressed deep sorrow over the incident. She stated that immediately after receiving information about the fire, teams from the Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, District Disaster Management Authority, CATS Ambulance Services, and other agencies were mobilized for rescue and relief operations. She added that the swift response helped save and evacuate several people from the affected premises.
The Delhi government is closely monitoring the situation and extending all necessary medical assistance and support to the affected families. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire.
