At least 21 people, including 18 foreign nationals, have died after a devastating fire swept through a hotel in India's capital, Delhi, on Wednesday. The blaze is among the deadliest fires recorded in the city since 2022.
The fire broke out at a four-storey hotel in the Malviya Nagar area of south Delhi, trapping many occupants on the upper floors. Witnesses said several people were forced to jump from windows in a desperate attempt to escape the flames.
Local residents rushed to assist, dragging mattresses from a nearby shop into the street to cushion the fall of those leaping from the building.
According to local broadcaster CNN-News18, the victims included citizens of Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique and Liberia. Reuters was unable to independently verify the nationalities of those who died.
"People spread mattresses, and a woman from the third floor jumped on it with a little child," witness Sher Khan said.
Television footage showed thick smoke billowing from the building as at least two people jumped from higher floors while the fire raged.
Residents who took part in the initial rescue operation said the fire appeared to have started on the ground and first floors, cutting off escape routes for people staying above.
"There is a mattress shop here. We took the mattresses from there and laid them on the road to help those who were jumping out of the building," local resident Wasim Raja told ANI news agency.
Emergency services rescued more than 40 people and transported them to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The fire broke out shortly before 9am local time, prompting the deployment of eight fire engines. Firefighters battled the blaze for several hours before bringing it under control around midday.
Delhi Police said 21 people had been confirmed dead, describing the incident as a tragic loss of life.
A spokesperson for the state-run All India Institute of Medical Sciences said 13 patients had been admitted, including two in critical condition.
Local administration official Jitendra Kumar said a restaurant operating on the ground floor may have been linked to the outbreak of the fire, although investigations remain ongoing.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the victims' families in a post on social media, stating that authorities were providing all possible assistance to those affected by the tragedy.
Bangladesh has called for increased climate financing and faster delivery of support to vulnerable nations, arguing that current global funding commit...
U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections into "infinity, despite Tehran's denials, and that unfrozen Iranian asset...
Apple is facing a £3 billion lawsuit in the United Kingdom after a competition tribunal approved a major collective action over its iCloud storage se...
Iran has strengthened ties with regional partners and agreed a roadmap for technical talks with the U.S. aimed at securing a final peace agreement wit...
Belgium has issued 24-hour visas to a Taliban delegation attending European Union migration talks in Brussels, as EU member states explore ways to ret...
Bangladesh has called for increased climate financing and faster delivery of support to vulnerable nations, arguing that current global funding commitments fall far short of what developing countries need to tackle the growing impacts of climate change.
U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections into "infinity, despite Tehran's denials, and that unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to buy humanitarian supplies from the United States.
Apple is facing a £3 billion lawsuit in the United Kingdom after a competition tribunal approved a major collective action over its iCloud storage service.
Iran has strengthened ties with regional partners and agreed a roadmap for technical talks with the U.S. aimed at securing a final peace agreement within two months.
At least thirteen people have died and sixty-six have been injured following an explosion at Qatar's main liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing hub at Ras Laffan, authorities said on Sunday.
Cape Verde’s remarkable FIFA World Cup debut continued on Sunday (21 June) as the tournament newcomers held Uruguay to a 2-2 draw. Goalkeeper Vozinha was once again at the centre of the story, this time with his mother watching from the stands.
Tehran has agreed to let the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommence inspections of its nuclear programme, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has said. The U.S. and Iran have settled on a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a final deal, according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on a landmark internet deal that will allow traffic to pass through Azerbaijani networks.It's the latest deal to highlight the ongoing peace process between the two countries.
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited by the TASS news agency. No injuries were reported in the incident.
U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections into "infinity, despite Tehran's denials, and that unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to buy humanitarian supplies from the United States.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has announced a loan of up to $25 million to support energy-efficiency upgrades at Tashkent Pipe Plant (TPP), one of Uzbekistan’s leading private steel producers.
For Pakistan, helping create space for dialogue between the U.S. and Iran was never solely about diplomacy. It was about avoiding the economic and security consequences of a wider regional conflict.
The visit also took on symbolic importance as the two leaders travelled to the liberated cities of Shusha and Fuzuli, areas Azerbaijan regained after decades of occupation.
A United Nations official has warned that efforts to stabilise southern Syria remain stalled nearly a year after deadly sectarian violence in Sweida province, with tensions between Druze factions, Bedouin communities and state authorities still unresolved.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment