A fire swept through a building in the Malviya Nagar neighbourhood of southern New Delhi, killing at least 21 people in a structure that housed a restaurant on the ground floor and a hotel on the upper levels, Indian officials said. Thirty-seven people were rescued and taken to hospital, and a search continued for others who might still be inside.
The blaze spread quickly through the multi-storey building, trapping guests and staff above the ground floor and filling stairwells with smoke. Witnesses said some people jumped from upper-floor windows in a desperate attempt to escape the flames, and several of the injured were being treated for the resulting trauma alongside burns and smoke inhalation.
Some of those killed were foreign nationals who had travelled to the Indian capital for medical treatment, officials said, a reflection of Delhi's role as a destination for patients from across the region. The presence of international guests added a diplomatic dimension as authorities worked to identify the dead and notify families abroad.
Fire officials said the blaze most likely originated in or around the restaurant on the ground floor before climbing through the building, though the exact cause was still being investigated. Crowded commercial buildings in older parts of Delhi frequently combine eateries, lodgings and shops, and fire-safety compliance in such premises has long been a concern.
Deadly fires are a recurring problem in India's dense urban centres, where blocked exits, flammable materials and lapses in safety enforcement can turn a small ignition into a mass-casualty event. Past disasters have prompted promises of tighter inspections that critics say are unevenly applied.
City authorities said an inquiry would examine whether the building had the required fire-safety clearances and functioning escape routes. For now, the focus was on accounting for everyone who had been inside and treating the many people pulled from the smoke.