New Delhi hotel blaze kills at least 21

Delhi Police confirmed on Wednesday that at least 21 people were killed after a massive fire swept through a multi-story hotel in New Delhi's Malviya Nagar district, with more than 40 others rescued from the blaze. The fire erupted at approximately 8:50 a.m. local time in the busy southern neighborhood, trapping guests and staff inside the structure before emergency responders transferred the injured to nearby medical facilities.

Firefighting teams subsequently contained the inferno, though the building sustained extensive damage during the incident. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, according to a report by the Press Trust of India.

Official response

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta addressed the tragedy through a post on social media platform X, stating that emergency response agencies were immediately mobilized to manage rescue and relief operations. “The government is closely monitoring the situation,” she added, noting that authorities were working to assist those affected. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as “tragic,” offering condolences to the bereaved families and wishing a swift recovery to the injured.

Modi said authorities were extending all possible assistance to the victims as the city grappled with the aftermath of the deadly blaze. Officials have not provided a timeline for the investigation into the cause of the fire, which remains unknown.