South Delhi guest house fire kills 21 as residents lead desperate rescue effort

At least 21 people were killed after a fire tore through Flourish Stay Bed and Breakfast in Hauz Rani, a densely built neighbourhood in South Delhi, on Wednesday morning, police said. Several foreign nationals were among the dead, and dozens of people were taken to hospitals after being rescued from the smoke-filled building.

The blaze broke out shortly before 9 am in a multi-storey building near Max Hospital in Saket, a major private hospital. The area has many small hotels and guest houses used by patients and families who travel to India’s capital for medical treatment. Many of those staying in the building were reportedly in Delhi for hospital visits or to accompany relatives undergoing treatment.

Even before fire engines arrived, local residents, shopkeepers and labourers rushed to help those trapped inside. Thick smoke had spread through the building, leaving guests unable to use the stairs. Some people appeared at windows and shouted for help, while others were forced to jump from the upper floors.

Riyazuddin, a 61-year-old roadside shopkeeper opposite the building, pulled out mattresses from his shed and laid them below the windows. He said about 15 mattresses were spread on the road so that people could jump to safety. One man who fell from the second floor broke his leg.

Other residents used bricks to break windowpanes and threw ropes towards those trapped inside. Witnesses said several rooms had windows that were jammed shut or difficult to break, while some rooms did not have windows that could be used for escape.

Mohammed Israr Khan, 40, reached the spot after receiving a call from his brother. Along with other residents, he entered the building after police and firefighters arrived. He said the smoke was so dense that visibility inside was almost zero. Rescuers heard screams and cries from different floors as they searched for people.

Mr Khan said several people were found unconscious. Some were carried out on mattresses and taken to ambulances. He also said he and others tried to give CPR to some of the victims before they were moved to hospital.

Wasim Raja, another local resident, said he found two women unconscious inside a bathroom where they had locked themselves in an attempt to escape the fire and smoke. He said he carried them out on a mattress.

Residents said the building’s layout made the rescue difficult. The establishment reportedly had one common entry and exit point and no emergency staircase. Some volunteers and police personnel also suffered from smoke inhalation while helping with the rescue.

For several hours after the fire was brought under control, the narrow lane remained crowded with residents, police, firefighters, ambulances and families searching for missing relatives. Guests from nearby lodges were seen leaving with their luggage, worried about safety in similar buildings.

One extended Indian family suffered heavy losses. Eight members of the Aggarwal family died in the blaze, according to The Indian Express.

They had come to Delhi because Radhe Shyam Aggarwal, a man in his 70s, was being treated in the intensive care unit at Max Hospital. His son Vivek Aggarwal had rented rooms at Flourish Stay so the family could remain close to the hospital.

Vivek was staying there with his mother, wife and two daughters. Other relatives were also at the hotel after Radhe Shyam’s health worsened. By Wednesday evening, relatives who had searched hospitals and mortuaries confirmed that eight members of the extended family had died.

Inside Max Hospital, Radhe Shyam remained in intensive care, unaware of the deaths in his family.

Police said an investigation was under way. Officials said the fire may have been connected to a restaurant operating in the building, but the exact cause had not been confirmed. The building’s owner was detained as part of the investigation.