A fast-spreading blaze that began in a restaurant beneath a six-storey hotel in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar left 21 people dead and dozens injured on Wednesday morning, officials and witnesses said. Authorities have registered an FIR under culpable homicide and are probing whether the building had the required fire NOC.

Fire starts in restaurant
According to the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), the first call came in at 8:50–8:51 am reporting a fire at the Lemon Green restaurant on Press Enclave Road. Flames rapidly raced up from the ground-floor eatery into the Flourish Stay B&B above, smoke-locking several floors and trapping guests, many of whom were attendants of patients at nearby hospitals.

Early rescue timeline
DFS said initial teams reached within minutes and ramped up the response to 10–12 fire tenders as the situation worsened. Rescue crews evacuated at least 40–47 people, officials said; three people were pulled from the basement and several others were taken to nearby hospitals in critical condition. Delhi Divisional Officer Ravinder Singh later confirmed the rescue operation had ended and the fire was fully extinguished.

Victims and nationalities
Delhi Police told news agencies that 21 people died; multiple officials said 17 of the deceased were foreign nationals, including citizens from Bangladesh and other South Asian countries. Local BJP MLA Satish Upadhyay said many guests were in the hotel while accompanying patients at Max Hospital and other nearby medical facilities.

Ownership and legal action
Delhi Police identified the owner as Lokesh Bajaj and said three partners run the establishment; they are examining links to other properties owned by the group. The police registered an FIR under culpable homicide and other relevant sections of the penal code. Delhi Minister Ashish Sood told reporters the building owner would be arrested if negligence is established.

NOC and safety questions
Several officials familiar with the matter told reporters that the building may have lacked a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the fire department. Forensic teams and fire investigators arrived at the site early in the afternoon to collect evidence and reconstruct how the blaze spread. The SDM and municipal officials said they would take strict action against any code violations.

Ground response and local help
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as residents broke windows, threw out mattresses and caught people who jumped from upper floors. “We rushed with blankets and mattresses… a woman jumped carrying a child,” said Sher Khan, a local shopkeeper. Ten police personnel were also injured while participating in rescue operations and are being treated in hospital, police said.

Political reactions and relief
The blaze drew swift condolences from political leaders across the spectrum. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for those injured. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, President Droupadi Murmu and several national leaders expressed grief and urged swift relief and medical care for victims.

Hospital capacity and treatment
Max Healthcare confirmed it was treating several critical patients transferred from the site; hospital spokespeople said most injured were being stabilised and that counselors were on site for relatives. AIIMS and other emergency departments in the area were put on alert given the proximity of the incident to major medical centres.

What investigators will look at
Officials said the probe will focus on the origin of the fire in the restaurant, the speed of its spread to upper floors, evacuation routes, fire safety equipment availability and whether exits were accessible. If the NOC or other safety clearances are found missing or falsified, charges could be broadened.

Outlook and public impact
The killings have raised immediate questions about safety standards in budget hotels and guest houses near Delhi hospitals — places that often house long-stay attendants and foreign patients. Local residents and patient families called for tighter inspections of such premises.

Authorities said a detailed status update and formal list of victims would be released after post-mortems and family notifications are complete. Meanwhile, police and municipal teams continued compiling the building’s records and ownership papers as the criminal investigation proceeds.