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'Laid mattresses on road': How locals helped people escape fire in Delhi's Malviya Nagar eatery
South District SDM and DDMA official Jitendra Kumar said emergency teams were mobilised immediately after receiving information about the incident
A fire erupted at a restaurant in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar on Wednesday, triggering a large-scale rescue operation by the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), Delhi Police said. A total of 21 people have lost their lives so far in the fire incident.
People trapped on the upper floors of the building jumped onto mattresses laid out by local residents as a massive fire engulfed the restaurant operating on the ground floor, said South District SDM and DDMA official Jitendra Kumar.
Track latest updates from Delhi Malviya Nagar fire news
Kumar said emergency teams were mobilised immediately after receiving information about the incident. Rescue workers evacuated several occupants from the building, while locals assisted by placing mattresses on the road to help those trying to escape from the upper floors.
"We activated the DDMA cell as soon as we received a call. We have come to know that a restaurant was operating on the ground floor of this building. The cause of the fire is still not known…..7-8 people, including the injured, have been taken to the hospital for treatment. Some people from the floors above jumped out of the building on the mattresses laid on the road by the locals," Kumar said.
Witnesses describe horror
Vivek was on the fourth floor when the fire broke out. He initially made his way towards the ground floor, but finding the exit blocked, he moved down to the basement. From there, he made several calls to relatives, telling them that he was trapped and urgently needed help.
According to his brother, Vikram Aggarwal, the family had been staying at the hotel because their father, Radhe Shyam Aggarwal, had been undergoing treatment for a lung ailment at Max Hospital for the past three to four days. On Tuesday, his condition deteriorated, prompting family members and three relatives to remain at the hotel.
“My younger brother was in the park outside, and called my father when he heard about the fire. We came and started bringing mattresses as thankfully a nearby store sells them. This way, we saved around 7 people, including one child. A major problem was that the building only had one entrance and exit, trapping people inside. Additionally, the roof was also locked. We were forced to throw brick at windows to break them so that people could jump,” said Mohammed Afzal (39) a lawyer from Hauz Rani.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained and further investigation is underway.
PM expresses grief, announces compensation for families of deceased
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the Malviya Nagar fire and announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased. Those injured in the incident will receive ₹50,000.
"The loss of lives due to a fire incident in Malviya Nagar, Delhi is tragic. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. Wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. Authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected," the Prime Minister's office wrote on X.
Expressing deep sorrow over the tragic loss of lives in the fire, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government is standing shoulder to shoulder with the bereaved families.
"My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured and for strength & courage to all those affected by this heartbreaking tragedy. Delhi Govt. is closely monitoring the situation. All necessary medical assistance & support are being extended to the affected families, wrote CM on her X handle.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu also expressed grief over the deadly fire and extended condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
