At least 20 people lost their lives and several others were rescued after a massive fire engulfed a hotel in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar on Tuesday morning.
The blaze reportedly erupted around 8:50 am in the basement restaurant of the five-storey Micasa Inn hotel. Following an emergency call, fire officials rushed multiple firefighting units to the spot, including two fire engines, two water bowsers and a quick-response vehicle. Authorities estimate that nearly 40 people were inside the building when the fire broke out. The exact cause of the incident is still under investigation.
Visuals from the scene showed desperate guests jumping from the burning structure in an attempt to save themselves. Situated in the narrow lanes of Hauz Rani, the hotel had around 25 rooms and was reportedly housing nearly 40 guests, many of them foreign nationals who had travelled to India for medical treatment. Most occupants were believed to be asleep when the fire started.
Restaurant chef Kesar Singh recalled the terrifying moments leading up to the tragedy. According to him, the incident occurred around 8 am when he tried to switch on an electric stove and noticed flames suddenly erupting. He soon realised that the fire had already spread through the hotel.
“I immediately alerted my assistant that the hotel was on fire,” he said.
“When I stepped outside, I saw that the entire hotel was on fire. I somehow managed to escape,” Negi said