- The fire at Flourish Stay hotel in Malviya Nagar was likely caused by a short circuit
- 21 people died, including nine Indians and 12 foreigners, in the South Delhi blaze
- The fire spread quickly in the five-floor building which had sealed windows and one exit
The deadly fire that ripped through a hotel in Delhi's Malviya Nagar on Wednesday was likely caused due to a short circuit, sources told NDTV on Thursday amid speculation that it was triggered by a cylinder blast.
21 people were killed, including nine Indians and 12 foreigners, after a fire broke out at Flourish Stay, a bed-and-breakfast in the Hauz Rani area, one of the congested neighbourhoods in South Delhi. The blaze - the deadliest one in the national capital since 2022 - also left a dozen others injured.
The fire started around 8:30 am and quickly spread through the five-floor narrow building that had 22 rooms, only one entry-exit point, permanently sealed windows and a sensor-operated main door.
It housed a restaurant on the ground floor while the basement and the upper floors were being used as the hotel.
The hotel had two kitchens -- one in the basement and the other one on the top floor. The two kitchens stored liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders.
The preliminary investigation by the Delhi Police also revealed that there were more than four LPG cylinders in the building, including commercial LPG cylinders that usually range from 17 kg to 47.5 kg.
During inspection, the fire department officials also recovered electric stoves and other appliances from several rooms. Guests, who had been staying at the hotel for an extended period, were using these appliances to cook their meals, sources said.
Many of the casualties are from Central Asian and African countries. They were staying in the hotel to attend to their family members who were admitted to a nearby hospital.
Lapses At Delhi Hotel
In a tragedy that was perhaps waiting to happen, Flourish Stay was operating without a fire no objection certificate (NOC).
It also violated the bed and breakfast policy. The hotel had permission for only six rooms, granted under the Delhi government's bed and breakfast policy, but was operating more than 20. Rooms had also come up in the basement.
Authorities have now announced a citywide enforcement drive targeting hotels, lodges, nursing homes, coaching centres, restaurants and other commercial establishments.
Officials said premises found violating safety norms could face closure, sealing and legal action.
