Malviya Nagar hotel fire likely started near ground-floor staircase: source

New Delhi [India], June 3 : Preliminary findings by the Delhi Fire Services suggest that the devastating fire at a hotel in Delhi's Malviya Nagar, which claimed 21 lives, may have originated near the staircase on the ground floor, with sealed windows allegedly hampering escape routes for occupants, officials said.
According to Delhi Fire Services sources, some material kept near the staircase on the ground floor is suspected to be the point of origin of the blaze. The fire allegedly started there and continued to spread rapidly through the building.
Officials stated that the exact nature of the material and the precise cause of the fire can only be established after a detailed forensic investigation.
Sources further said all windows in the building were allegedly sealed, leaving occupants with little or no means of escape once the fire intensified.
During rescue operations, firefighters also found LPG cylinders on the premises. However, preliminary findings indicate that the blaze may have started from material stored near the staircase before spreading across the building, sources added.
A comprehensive investigation, including forensic analysis, is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the tragedy.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police have formed multiple teams to trace the hotel owner and are conducting raids in different parts of the national capital.
According to officials, the hotel, where the fire broke out, had permission to operate only six rooms under the bed-and-breakfast (B&B) scheme. However, the owner had allegedly constructed 25 rooms on the premises. Another nearby establishment, Green Residency Hotel, located around 100 metres away, had permission for only six rooms but was allegedly operating 28 rooms.
Earlier, the Former Delhi Fire Services Director Atul Garg termed the incident "very unfortunate" and pointed to structural and civic challenges in the area.
"More than 22 people have died, and this is a very unfortunate incident. This is a very congested area where fire tenders cannot move easily. There is no water source available, and encroachments have made firefighting difficult. Many houses have only one staircase. A lot of smoke was there, and people did not get time to come out. That's the reason why so many people died. Since they had no NOC and other things, I think there were no safety measures available there," Garg said.
Separately, BJP MLA from Malviya Nagar Satish Upadhyay said 47 boarders were present in the hotel at the time of the fire and assured strict action against those found responsible.
"A total of 47 boarders were in the hotel at the time of the incident; it has a B&B license...currently, 21 casualties have been reported...7 to 8 people are in critical condition, and 3 are on ventilators. The fire has been doused...some bravehearts of the Delhi Police went inside the fire and rescued people without caring about their own lives. An inquiry will be conducted, and anyone who has broken norms and is responsible will be immediately arrested. Other B&Bs, hotels and guest houses that are not following protocols will be sealed," Upadhyay said.
Meanwhile, anguished family members of victims expressed frustration over delays in receiving information about their loved ones.
"Max Hospital said that 2-4 bodies are here, but no one tells us anything much more than that. We do not know the whereabouts of our loved ones. No one is trying to do anything here. We are very frustrated," a victim's family member said.
At least 21 people, including 17 foreign nationals, were killed and more than 40 rescued after a massive fire broke out at Flourish Stay B&B in Malviya Nagar at around 8:48 am on Wednesday.