An early morning fire on Wednesday at Flourish Stay, a bed and breakfast hotel in Hauz Rani, south Delhi, has killed at least 21 people, including 11 foreign nationals, with major violations by the establishment highlighting the capital’s lax regulatory and monitoring system just four days after an illegal structure collapsed in the neighboring Sidhulagab area, killing six people.
Most of the victims of the fire, one of the worst Delhi has seen in years, were either people visiting India for medical treatment or caregivers of patients who found it convenient to stay at a bed and breakfast (B&B), one of several hotels in Hauz Rani, which is close to one of the city’s largest private hospitals. The crowded area made it difficult for fire engines to reach the scene. The tragedy was exacerbated by the bed and breakfast – which crowded people together $2000 and $3,600 per night per room – it has no fire escape, and runs 26 rooms instead of the six allowed.
The police registered a case of manslaughter not amounting to murder, and the owner of the B&B, Lakesh Bajaj, a resident of neighboring Saket, was arrested. In addition to those killed, at least 26 people were injured, including some paramedics. Many residents of the five-story bed and breakfast — which occupied four rooms in the basement, two on the roof, five each on four floors, and a kitchen and restaurant on the ground floor — jumped in to save themselves.
Police said that 16 of the 21 dead had been identified. Investigators and officials revealed the names of only 14 of them. Hospital officials said the death toll could rise, although Foreign Ministry officials said 18 foreigners died in the fire.
Details of the cause of the fire are unclear but police say their initial investigations indicate it started in the restaurant on the ground floor at around 8.30am.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Anant Mittal said the police control room received a call at 8.48 am. He added, “Local police personnel immediately arrived at the site and began rescue, evacuation and relief operations.” He said that by 12.12pm, the fire had been extinguished and the rescue operation had ended. He added: “A total of 49 people were transferred to nearby hospitals to receive medical treatment, and 21 of them were declared dead.”
Among the victims whose identities have been revealed are nine Indians – Shrutika Barnwal, Tarjani Agarwal, Faria Agarwal, Jhaveri Agarwal, Vivek Agarwal, Ashok Agarwal, Kamla Agarwal, Premlata Agarwal and Jeevisha Agarwal – and five foreign nationals – Rowland (Liberia), Chibambasheel (Mozambique), Tolkinov Khubmium, Makhbirat Khun. Kochkroa and Sita Beatrice (Democratic Republic of the Congo).
Violations abound
Police said the bed and breakfast had a permit for six rooms, three on the first floor and three on the second floor, but was occupying at least 26 rooms on five floors, the basement and the roof.
HT reporters found that the front facade of the B&B was boarded up, possibly using panels and reinforced glass, and there was only one main entrance and exit, with another entrance and exit to the basement. The fire department said entry and exit to the basement was closed. One side of the bed and breakfast had windows from which some guests jumped to save themselves.
Mohamed Riad Al-Din, 61, who runs a mattress store, said the stairs were filled with smoke when he and his son rushed to the hotel. “We put mattresses on the ground and asked them (the residents) to jump.”
A group of men from Hauz Rani village also helped Delhi Fire Services (DFS) in the rescue operation. Waseem Raja, 34, who works at Max Hospital in Saket, said that when the fire broke out, he and his friends reached the spot and helped DFS personnel in removing people from the B&B. “We realized that people were not able to get down because of the smoke, and many were stuck because the digital locks in the rooms did not open, leaving them trapped inside,” he said. “I called the team at Max Hospital. They came with a doctor and ambulances soon after I informed them. We went to the hotel, checked every floor, and dropped people off one by one. Many died.”
Another tragedy
Wednesday’s fire is the latest in an inferno that has rocked the national capital and raised questions about poor regulation, lethargic implementation and questionable fire safety rules. Exactly a month ago, a fire broke out in a residential building in Vivek Vihar, killing nine people. On March 18, a fire in the Palam building also killed nine people. In May 2024, seven newborns died after a fire in the neonatal intensive care unit of Vivek Vihar Hospital. In February that year, 11 people were killed after a fire gutted a paint factory in Alipore.
In May 2022, in one of Delhi’s largest fires on record, 27 people were killed and dozens injured after flames engulfed a commercial building in Mundka.
The recurrence of such incidents has renewed concerns about the enforcement of fire safety standards and the effectiveness of inspections conducted by civil authorities and other agencies.
This has raised questions about the wisdom of two recent policies taken by the Delhi government – one on bed and breakfasts and the other on fire safety – which propose a more flexible certification system.
On May 27, the government proposed a new fire safety framework, under which building owners can obtain fire permits through special fire auditors — to be appointed, the policy said — instead of relying solely on inspections conducted by the Delhi Fire Service (DFS). The government said the move will reduce delays, improve efficiency and bring professional expertise to the certification process. But experts said that these efforts could threaten the independence of the mechanism.
Last week, the government also announced the draft B&B Policy 2026, which proposes a self-certification system for homestays and small accommodation units. The draft allows residential properties with up to eight rooms and 16 beds to operate as bed and breakfast units, introduces online registration and self-certification, and seeks to bring informal hospitality operators into the regulatory fold.
In contrast, the 2007 B&B framework relied more heavily on inspections and administrative audits prior to approvals. Under this policy, only two-thirds of the property could be rented, and the owner had to live in the same property. In the event of any suspicion of violations, the Tourism Department may inspect the premises at any time.
Such inspections were certainly not a thing in the case of Hauz Rani’s homestay.
Lives lost
Among the victims was Vivek Agarwal, who died along with seven members of his family. Aggarwal lived in Gurugram, and his father was admitted to Max Hospital due to a serious lung condition. He had rented a few rooms in the B&B to avoid daily travel and his relatives who were visiting his father were also at the hotel when the fire broke out.
“Vivek called me from the basement. He said he was trapped and that I should send someone to rescue him. He was on the fourth floor and rushed down but couldn’t get out of the building, so he went to the basement. I was already outside when fire officials pulled him out. We tried to give him CPR, but he didn’t seem to be breathing already. We have lost eight people in our family today. Some of them arrived just this morning, only to meet their deaths. We are devastated,” Agarwal said. Vikram Agarwal’s cousin.
A police officer, who requested anonymity, said initial investigations with Bajaj revealed that he was informed about the fire at around 8.50 am, after which he reached there and stayed for about half an hour, before leaving as he started removing guests from the building.
According to the official Although informed of the matter, the other foreign nationals who died in the accident were from Nigeria, Bangladesh, Somalia and Afghanistan. Among the injured are 10 Delhi Police personnel and five foreigners. Officials said at least nine people were in critical condition.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the ministry is in touch with embassies and is providing all necessary assistance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on Xthat as a giveaway $2 lakh will be given to the next of kin of the deceased. “My condolences to those who lost their loved ones. I wish a speedy recovery to the injured. The authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected. As an ex gratia $2 lakh PMNRF will be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The wounded will be given $He wrote 50 thousand.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta asked the South Delhi district magistrate to submit a report in this matter within three days.
