Delhi Heroes Let Go Of Lakhs Worth Of Mattresses To Save Guests From Fire

A devastating fire at Flourish Stays, a bed-and-breakfast in South Delhi's congested Hauz Rani area in Malviya Nagar, claimed the lives of 21 people, including nine Indians and 12 foreigners, in the early hours of Wednesday (Jun 3). The tragedy could have been far worse if not for a local shop owner and his son. The duo sacrificed nearly Rs 2 lakh worth of new mattresses to create a makeshift safety net that helped save numerous lives.

Riyazuddin Mansuri and his son, Armaan, spread around 20-22 mattresses on the ground outside the burning building, creating a cushion that allowed trapped occupants to jump to safety.

"I reached the spot after a neighbour informed me about the blaze at 8:30 am. The ground floor was on fire. Nobody could go inside and come out. People on the upper floors were shouting and asking if they should jump. I immediately brought out around 20 to 25 quilts and mattresses from the shop and spread them outside the building," Armaan was quoted as saying by PTI.

Arman's family, who run the mattress shop opposite the hotel for around four decades, said several quilts and mattresses were stacked on top of one another so that people who were stuck inside could jump to safety.

"I suffered a loss of about Rs 2 lakh. We also gave bedsheets that were used to bring out the dead bodies and the injured. We also gave quilt covers. We gave away all our goods, whatever we could get our hands on. On the grounds of humanity, everyone is the same, whether Hindu or Muslim. We are all Hindustani. It was my duty to help our brothers, whether he is Hindu or Muslim," said Riyazuddin.

VIDEO | Delhi Malviya Nagar fire: A shop owner laid out around 20-22 mattresses from his shop so that people could safely jump on them to escape fire.

Shop owner Armaan says, "I have my shop here, I got information about the fire, there was a massive fire, nobody could get… pic.twitter.com/9mY8uaVhQx

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 3, 2026

'Compensate Him'

Social media users have demanded that the shop owner who sacrificed his new mattresses to save Malviya Nagar fire victims be rewarded by the government and adequately compensated for his losses.  

"This mattress shop guy pulled out 20-22 new mattresses from his shop. Laid out on the road. And saved the lives of absolute strangers. He knew nobody would pay him. Govt should compensate!" said one user, while another added: "We should always appreciate such noble deeds. The shopkeeper should be rewarded."

A third commented: "Thanks to Armaan for his good deed. But it's really shameful how such hotels are allowed to function despite not following any safety norms. Govt officials who took bribes and are responsible for this tragedy should be put in jail."

A fourth said: "If there is a fundraiser done for this guy, I will be happy to do my little contribution for his selfless act."