At least 21 people were killed and several others injured after a massive fire broke out at a restaurant in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar area on Wednesday, officials said.
Television visuals showed thick plumes of smoke and flames billowing from the Lemon Green Restaurant located in Malviya Nagar.
“We activated the DDMA cell as soon as we received information about the incident. We have learnt that a restaurant was operating on the ground floor of the building. The cause of the fire is still not known,” Jitendra Kumar, SDM, DDMA South District, told ANI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased. He also announced financial assistance of Rs 50,000 for those injured in the incident.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister’s Office said: “The loss of lives due to a fire incident in Malviya Nagar, Delhi, is tragic. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. Wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. Authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed grief over the tragedy and said the administration was actively engaged in relief and rescue operations.
In a post on X, Shah said, “My heart is deeply grieved by the fire incident in Malviya Nagar, Delhi. The local administration is engaged in relief and rescue operations. My condolences are with those who have lost their loved ones in this heart-wrenching tragedy. May God grant strength to the bereaved families to bear this sorrow. The injured are being provided with the best medical facilities. I pray for the swift recovery of all the injured.”
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also condoled the deaths and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. She said rescue and relief operations were launched immediately after the incident by teams from the Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, DDMA, CATS Ambulance Services and other emergency agencies.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in the devastating fire incident in Malviya Nagar. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured and for strength and courage to all those affected by this heartbreaking tragedy,” Gupta said in a statement.
She added that the swift response by emergency services helped rescue and evacuate several people from the affected building.
“The Delhi government is closely monitoring the situation. All necessary medical assistance and support are being extended to the affected families. In this hour of grief Delhi Govt. stands firmly with the affected families. We remain committed to providing every possible support to those impacted by this tragedy,” she said.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Sandhu also expressed condolences over the tragedy.
“Deeply distressed by the tragic fire at a hotel in Hauz Rani, Malviya Nagar. My thoughts and condolences are with the families of the deceased, and I join all in praying for the swift recovery of those injured. Police, civil and fire rescue teams are currently on-site conducting operations,” he said, adding that officials had been directed to ensure immediate medical aid, relief measures and a thorough investigation into the incident.
BJP MLA from Malviya Nagar Satish Upadhyay said the fire broke out at around 9 a.m., following which the entire disaster management apparatus was mobilised.
“Upon learning about the incident, our first response was to activate the disaster management system and reach the site. There are casualties, and around 8-10 people have been admitted to hospital for treatment. Delhi Police, the Fire Department and the district administration responded immediately. The entire administration is here to help,” he said.
Officials said some people attempted to jump from the upper floors of the multi-storey building to escape the flames. The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals, with some reported to be in critical condition.
Search and rescue operations were continuing at the site at the time of filing this report.
(With inputs from agencies)
