- New visuals have emerged from the site of the fire that tore through a hotel in South Delhi's Hauz Rani area
- The videos were captured by a local who witnessed the incident unfold from her home opposite the hotel
- Anjum, who has lived in Hauz Rani for several years, said she was stunned by what she witnessed
New visuals have emerged from the site of the devastating fire that tore through a hotel in South Delhi's congested Hauz Rani area of Malviya Nagar on Wednesday, killing 21 people, including nine Indians and 12 foreign nationals.
The videos were captured by a local resident, 46-year-old Anjum, who witnessed the incident unfold from her home opposite the Flourish Stay hotel.
"At around 8:30 in the morning, we smelled something burning. Initially, we thought it was coming from our own house. Then we saw sparks outside," Anjum told NDTV.
"It was shocking. We wanted to help, but my father is a heart patient and we were worried the smoke could affect his health. It was truly devastating to watch something like this happen right in front of my eyes. The police personnel in the area tried their best to help. Some of them had blood all over their clothes. I remember Head Constable Dinesh Yadav and another local resident, whose name I do not know, risking their lives to help people. They saved many lives that day," she said.
The videos, shot from a window overlooking the building, capture the desperate moments as guests trapped inside pleaded for help. In one clip, a foreign national can be heard repeatedly screaming for help as thick black smoke pours from her room. Several other occupants can be seen leaning out of windows in a desperate attempt to escape the flames.
Another part of the video shows an African woman attempting to climb down a sewage pipe while a man inside the room holds on to her in an effort to prevent her from falling.
Anjum, who has lived in Hauz Rani for several years, said she was stunned by what she witnessed.
"I was shocked to see what was happening in front of me. It took the emergency services a long time to reach the spot," she said.
The visuals show multiple foreign nationals emerging from windows as smoke engulfs the building. Local residents can be heard urging those trapped inside to jump because help had not yet arrived. Among the local heroes were Riyazuddin Mansuri and his son Armaan, who spread around 20 to 22 mattresses outside the burning building to create a cushion for people forced to jump from upper floors.
In another dramatic rescue captured on video, a man climbs a ladder to reach an elderly woman trapped inside the building. He helps her onto the ladder and begins bringing her down to safety. Near the end of the descent, she slips and falls into a group of people gathered below, who appear to break her fall.
The footage also shows flames spreading rapidly through the structure, electrical wires catching fire, and thick smoke continuing to billow into the sky.
The fire broke out on Wednesday morning around 8:15 am at the Flourish Stay hotel and quickly spread through the building, trapping several occupants inside.
Many of those staying at the hotel were foreign medical tourists or attendants of patients undergoing treatment at nearby hospitals, including Max Hospital.
Several people were admitted to hospital with smoke inhalation, burn injuries and trauma sustained while trying to escape the blaze.
According to the latest update from Max Hospital, 15 patients remain admitted, including 13 foreign nationals. Six patients are on ventilator support, while nine are being treated in the ICU and hospital wards.
Sources told NDTV on Thursday that a short circuit is suspected to have triggered the fire, amid initial speculation that it may have been caused by a cylinder blast. Investigators have also found that the hotel was operating without a mandatory fire No Objection Certificate (NOC).
Documents accessed by NDTV show that Flourish Stay had permission to operate only six rooms - three each on the first and second floors - under the bed-and-breakfast category. However, as many as 25 rooms were being operated, including several in the basement.
The initial probe has also revealed major safety lapses. The building had only a single entry and exit point, making evacuation difficult. Investigators found that several windows were sealed and the main entrance was sensor-operated, further complicating escape efforts during the fire.
