17 foreigners among 21 dead in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar hotel fire; 8 on ventilator

NEW DELHI: Seventeen foreign nationals were among the 21 people killed in the devastating fire at a hotel in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar on Wednesday, with most of the victims reportedly hailing from Liberia, Nigeria, Mozambique and Bangladesh, officials said.

Earlier in the day, at least 21 people were killed and more than 40 rescued after a massive fire broke out at Flourish Stay B&B in Malviya Nagar at around 8:48 am. Officials said over 15 foreign nationals were among the deceased.

21 people burnt alive.

Today, while most of Delhi was having its morning tea, a fire turned a building in Malviya Nagar into a death trap.

Within minutes, smoke and flames spread through the hotel and adjoining premises. People were trapped inside rooms, some jumped from… pic.twitter.com/7VzrqW1opy

— Manu (@mshahi0024) June 3, 2026

Addressing a press conference, Max Healthcare Group Medical Director Dr Sandeep Budhiraja said eight patients injured in the fire are currently on ventilator support and remain in critical condition.

“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.

#WATCH | Malviya Nagar fire | Wasim Raja, a local from Hauz Rani village who rescued many people in an attempt to save lives, says, “The moment the short circuit happened, we reached here. We were the first ones to reach here. There is a mattress shop here which was damaged. We… pic.twitter.com/Uyc9MPaoBc

— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2026

The doctor further said several patients suffered fractures after reportedly jumping from upper floors to escape the blaze. “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.

He added that both Indian and foreign nationals were among the victims and said 18 of the deceased included nine men and nine women.

A massive fire broke out at a hotel in South Delhi’s (मालवीय नगर ) Malviya Nagar area on Tuesday morning.

-More than 20 people have died so far. Several foreign nationals are among the deceased.

-The injured are being treated in nearby hospitals ! pic.twitter.com/z4fD4oJDKu

— Dharm (@dhram00) June 3, 2026

Meanwhile, Chief Fire Officer (South Zone) Abhilash Kumar Malik said the Delhi Fire Service initially deployed seven fire tenders after receiving a call at 8:50 am, later increasing manpower and equipment as the scale of the incident became clear.

#WATCH | Malviya Nagar fire | Delhi: A Congo national whose family members died in an incident, says, “…they say my sister is dead…” pic.twitter.com/maSjF5LmTA

— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2026

“Seven 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 hospitals,” Malik said.

He said preliminary inspection revealed major structural and fire safety concerns in the building. “The structure consists of a basement, a ground floor and five upper stories. There was only a single staircase alongside an elevator. The building was completely sealed, with windows shut, leaving no ventilation or smoke outlet,” Malik said.

He explained that the building structure acted like a “chimney,” causing smoke and heat to spread rapidly to upper floors and trapping occupants.

“In a fire accident, structures built like this act exactly like a chimney. The moment a fire breaks out, the single enclosed column forces all the dense smoke and intense heat to rise immediately to the upper floors. This happens so rapidly that occupants are completely cut off and have no time to safely evacuate. When we were conducting rescue operations, we quickly realised that the building completely lacked an internal fire protection system,” he said.

Meanwhile, MCD Mayor Pravesh Wahi said strict directives are issued to ensure that such incidents do not recur. “A tragic incident has occurred. I am in constant contact with the Commissioner stationed at the site. Our ministers and senior officials from the municipal corporation are present on the ground. Every possible effort is being made to assist. The Prime Minister has also announced a measure of relief assistance for the victims. We have issued strict directives to ensure that such incidents do not recur; officials will conduct continuous and rigorous inspections across all areas,” the mayor said.

“Any negligence regarding safety protocols or hazardous conditions will not be tolerated under any circumstances, and we will take every measure to ensure that such a tragedy is never repeated. The exact cause has not yet been determined… 47 people sustained injuries, and it has been confirmed that 21 of them have lost their lives,” he added.

According to sources, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena will chair a high-level meeting later in the evening with all concerned authorities to review the incident.

Earlier, the Delhi police had also registered an FIR under culpable homicide and other relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the incident.

Delhi police identified the hotel owner as Lokesh Bajaj and said the hotel was allegedly operated by three partners, who are believed to own several hotels and guest houses across Delhi. Police and other investigating agencies are examining ownership, operations and compliance with fire safety standards.

Meanwhile, ten Delhi Police personnel involved in rescue operations were shifted to AIIMS Trauma Centre after exposure in the red zone. Officials said all are stable and under observation. (ANI)