Delhi Hotel, Where Fire Killed 21, Had Permission For 6 Rooms. It Operated 25

It's the same tragic tale that replays itself every time a fire tragedy takes place. A tale of criminal negligence, flouted norms for greed and lack of official oversight. And it's the innocent people who pay the price of it with their lives.

South Delhi's Flourish Stay B&B, where a massive fire on Wednesday morning killed at least 21 people, was a death trap. 

Sources have told NDTV that the hotel in Hauz Rani area was granted licence by the Delhi Government under the Bed and Breakfast (B&B) scheme. Under this permission, a complex is allowed to operate only six rooms. But Flourish Stay, NDTV has learnt, was operating 25 rooms, including some in the basement as well.

Read | Video: Women Jump From Building To Escape Fire At South Delhi Hotel

This flouting of norms may have turned the hotel into a death trap for its mostly foreigner guests as the fire broke out. At least 40 guests were reportedly staying at the hotel and most of them were sleeping when the fire engulfed the hotel.

The hotel, located in narrow bylanes of the Hauz Rani area, close to one of the biggest private hospitals in Delhi, was frequented by foreign guests visiting Delhi for medical treatment. Of the 21 reported dead in the fire tragedy, most were foreigners.

According to Delhi Police, the hotel had only one entry and exit point, another violation giving the fact that it had 25 rooms and numerous guests staying at any point of time.

Read | Foreigners Killed In Delhi Hotel Fire Were Staying For Medical Treatment

The police is also probing if the hotel had fire safety clearance. Sources, however, told NDTV that the hotel had requisite fire safety celarances from the authorities.

Videos from the scene showed at least women jumping from the upper floors to escape the fire.
Desperate to escape the blaze, two women were seen jumping from the building amid the raging flames on to the road in front of the hotel to save their lives. Locals were seen rushing to help the women as they landed on the mattresses laid out by locals to help those trapped.