Deadly Fire at Hotel in New Delhi Claims 21 Lives

At least 21 people lost their lives in a devastating fire at the Flourish Inn Stay hotel in New Delhi on Wednesday morning. The blaze started around 8:50 a.m. local time in the ground floor restaurant of the hotel, quickly spreading to higher floors where many guests were asleep.

Videos captured some individuals jumping from the upper floors of the five-story building to escape the flames. A local resident, Vasim Raja, who was one of the first to arrive at the scene, reported seeing at least two people jump from windows. Raja and others rescued seven individuals from the basement before emergency responders arrived.

The fire department reported that 47 people were inside the hotel at the time of the fire. Among the 21 confirmed dead were 17 foreign nationals from African and Central Asian nations. Many of the hotel’s guests were medical tourists visiting the nearby Max Hospital Saket for treatment.

The hospital confirmed that 18 victims of the fire were brought in deceased, and 15 others required treatment for injuries in intensive care units. India’s affordable healthcare system attracts patients from various countries, contributing to the hotel’s popularity among medical tourists.

Authorities have filed a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against unknown individuals. An investigation into the fire’s cause is underway. Preliminary findings indicate the hotel lacked a valid fire safety certificate. There are reports that an electrical short circuit may have triggered the fire.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced state relief payments for the families of the deceased amounting to 200,000 Indian rupees (about $2,020) and 50,000 rupees (about $520) for the injured. Chief Minister of Delhi, Rekha Gupta, expressed condolences to the victims and their families, describing the incident as a “heartbreaking tragedy.”