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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday expressed grief over the fire tragedy in Malviya Nagar, Delhi, which claimed 21 lives, while also flagging what he described as "continuous fire incidents" in the national capital.
In a post on X, Kejriwal said he prayed for the victims and expressed concern over the recurring nature of such tragedies in the city. "I pray to God for the peace of the souls of those who lost their lives in the horrific fire in Malviya Nagar, Delhi. Today, such a massive incident occurred in Malviya Nagar. The tragic news of 20 people losing their lives... The continuous fire incidents in Delhi and the deaths of innocent people are extremely concerning," he wrote. https://x.com/arvindkejriwal/status/2062085554561556587 According to Max Healthcare, of the 39 patients received at Max Hospital, Saket, 18 were brought dead, 15 are admitted in ICU, including 8 patients on ventilator support and in critical condition. Five patients with minor injuries were treated and discharged after primary care, while one patient was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital due to severe burns. Officials said the deceased include both Indian and foreign nationals. Meanwhile, a team of forensic experts also reached the site as investigations were initiated into the cause of the fire. Furthermore, Jitendra Kumar, SDM, DDMA, South District, said rescue operations concluded at 12:12 pm. He added that fire started from the ground floor. "A total of 47 people have been rescued, and 21 people have died. The search and rescue operation concluded at 12:12 pm. The condition of 2-3 people is serious. There is a hotel located on the ground floor of the building. The fire department has not been able to confirm what caused the fire. The fire started from the ground floor," he told ANI. Locals described chaotic scenes as people were trapped inside the building and rescued with the help of residents and emergency teams. Local resident Mansoor, who lives near the spot where the fire incident happened in Malviya Nagar, described how he and other locals tried to help those trapped inside the building. "My house is directly in front. Around 8:00 AM, we started receiving calls from downstairs saying there was a fire. We went out, looked down and heard voices coming from inside saying, 'Help, help'... The building's main entrance had an electronic gate that automatically locked at night. Because the fire cut off the electricity, the gate was completely blocked and would not open. There was absolutely no way out," he said. He added that residents broke glass panes and used makeshift arrangements to rescue occupants. "The fire had broken out on the ground and first floors, leaving the residents on the second, third, and fourth floors utterly trapped. Then, from downstairs, we threw bricks and stones, breaking the glass. Two Indian men jumped from the second floor but were injured. Then... we went to Lemon Green Hotel and dug out the pits [mattresses] from all the nearby hotels and collected them... They were foreigners... They were unable to get out from the fourth floor... Then, we went to the building in front... and put a rope on top... The lady even managed to get hold of the rope, but it slipped... but she landed on the mattresses. She was saved... Only at the very end, when the fire was so intense, one lady hung from the fourth floor and landed safely," he further said. Another local resident, Wasim Raja, who rescued many people in an attempt to save lives, said, "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 took the mattresses from there and laid them on the road to help the foreigners who were jumping out of the building. Soon after, the teams of the Delhi Fire Service and the Delhi Police arrived here. We pulled out several foreign nationals in an unconscious condition from inside the building. The villagers, along with firemen and police, rescued many people. We have suffered injuries in our feet due to glass." Meanwhile, political leaders across parties expressed condolences. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said emergency services were immediately mobilised and the government was closely monitoring the situation. Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena called the incident "deeply distressing" and directed officials to ensure immediate relief and a thorough investigation. Delhi Minister Ashish Sood said strict action would be taken against those responsible, adding that authorities were probing permissions, NOC compliance and licensing of the building. Meanwhile, former AAP MLA Somnath Bharti alleged the fire may have been triggered by a short circuit. 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. Authorities have launched a detailed investigation into the cause of the fire, including possible safety lapses and regulatory violations, as rescue and relief operations continue. (ANI)
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