Video: No Way Down, Foreigner Clings To Roof As Fire Engulfs Delhi Hotel

A video circulating on social media within hours of a deadly fire in South Delhi shows a foreign national standing on the roof of a burning five-storey building, clutching a pole, looking for a way down.

Behind him, thick black smoke billowed upward in enormous plumes, blotting out the sky above the Malviya Nagar. As the camera pans out, the scale of the blaze becomes visible.

The man in the video is seen gripping a pole to steady himself as he surveys the building and the ground below, trying to look for a way down.

Video: No Way Down, Foreigner Clings To Roof As Fire Engulfs Delhi Hotel pic.twitter.com/btA3Lwgbqq

— NDTV (@ndtv) June 3, 2026

A separate video showed two women jumping from the upper floors of the building onto the road below. Locals had rushed to place mattresses on the ground to try to break their fall, and bystanders were seen running towards them as they landed.

#Watch | Woman jumps to safety as fire engulfs in hotel in Delhi's Malviya Nagar pic.twitter.com/tQH2PKlqwl

— NDTV (@ndtv) June 3, 2026

How The Fire Started

The fire broke out at around 8.30 am on Wednesday at the Flourish Stay B&B in Hauz Rani, Malviya Nagar. It spread quickly through the narrow five-floor structure.

Kesar Singh, a chef at the hotel, said, "When I tried to light it, the fire suddenly broke out. I found out that the fire was already burning in the hotel. I immediately told my assistant that the hotel was on fire. When I came out, I saw that the hotel was burning. I somehow managed to escape from there."

At least 21 people were killed, including 12 foreigners, and dozens more were injured. Around 40 guests were reportedly staying at the property, and most of them were asleep when the fire broke out.

Delhi Police said the hotel had only one entry and exit point. That single access point, combined with windows that were permanently sealed and a sensor-operated main door, left guests with very few options once the fire erupted.

The hotel sits in the narrow lanes of the Hauz Rani area, close to one of Delhi's largest private hospitals.

Sources told NDTV that the Flourish Stay had been granted a licence by the Delhi government under the Bed and Breakfast scheme. Under that scheme, a property is permitted to operate no more than six rooms.

The hotel, however, was running 25 rooms at the time of the fire, including some in the basement.

The Hauz Rani area, tucked within the broader Malviya Nagar neighbourhood, is home to a number of budget guesthouses and small hotels that cater to visitors coming to the capital for medical treatment.