New Delhi hotel fire kills at least 21: police

<p>At least 21 people were killed when a fire ripped through a hotel in New Delhi on Wednesday, police said, in one of the deadliest blazes in the Indian capital in recent years.</p> <p>Building fires are common in India due to a lack of firefighting equipment and routine disregard for safety regulations.</p> <p>The fire broke out in the morning at Flourish Stay, a bed-and-breakfast in a congested neighbourhood in the south of the city, Delhi Police said in a statement.</p> <p>“It is with profound sorrow that 21 persons have been declared dead in this tragic incident,” the force said.</p> <p>It said rescue and search operations were continuing, with more than 40 people taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.</p> <p>Several of those killed were visitors from African countries who had come to the city for medical treatment, the <em>Indian Express</em> and other local media reported.</p> <figure class='media w-full w-full media-- media--uneven media--stretch' data-original-src='https://x.com/PTI_News/status/2062086260269920475'> <div class='media__item media__item--twitter '><span> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/2062086260269920475"></a> </blockquote> </span></div> </figure> <p>The blaze was eventually brought under control with the help of eight fire engines, police said.</p> <p>“All concerned agencies remain deployed at the spot to ensure every possible assistance to those affected,” the force added.</p> <p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident “tragic”.</p> <p>“My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones,” his office said in a statement on X.</p> <figure class='media w-full w-full media-- media--uneven media--stretch' data-original-src='https://x.com/PMOIndia/status/2062066482897674699'> <div class='media__item media__item--twitter '><span> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/2062066482897674699"></a> </blockquote> </span></div> </figure> <p>The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.</p> <p>Electrical short circuits, often caused by poorly maintained wiring, remain the leading cause of fire incidents in India.</p> <p>In March, a <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" class="link--external" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c363gpe3exjo#:~:text=Ten%20people%20have%20been%20killed,Minister%20Mohan%20Charan%20Majhi%20said.">fire</a> at a government-run hospital in eastern India killed at least 10 critically ill patients.</p>