Another Delhi Hotel Fire: Basement Blaze Sparks Panic Near Safdarjung Enclave; 5 Fire Engines Rush to Scene

A fire erupted in the basement of a hotel in southwest Delhi's Humayunpur Village, adjacent to Safdarjung Enclave. Alerted at 7:06 PM, the Delhi Fire Services promptly deployed five fire engines to the scene. The flames, which had consumed furniture stored in the basement, were successfully contained and extinguished within about 15 minutes. The Delhi Fire Services were alerted at 7:06 PM and promptly deployed five fire engines to the scene. The flames, which had consumed furniture stored in the basement, were successfully contained and extinguished within about 15 minutes.

Situation Monitored as Rescuers Contain the Blaze

As news of the fire broke, initial fears mounted that guests and staff might be trapped inside the smoke-filled building. Emergency teams closely monitored the developing situation throughout the tense rescue operation, moving quickly to prevent a escalation. Thanks to the rapid response of the Delhi Fire Services, first responders successfully brought the raging flames under control before they could spread further.

An official probe is currently underway as authorities investigate the exact cause of the electrical spark and subsequent blasts. While the incident briefly triggered widespread panic among local residents and onlookers in the crowded neighborhood, officials confirmed that no major structural damage or casualties have been reported from this initial assessment.

Malviya Nagar Horror

A horrific tragedy unfolded in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar on Wednesday morning, June 3, after a massive fire tore through a local hotel, claiming 21 lives—including 12 foreign nationals—and leaving 37 others rescued. As investigations intensify into the deadly incident, legal action has commenced against the property management.

Meanwhile, a Delhi court on Thursday sent Lavkesh Bajaj to four days' police custody. Bajaj is the owner of Flourish Stay, the bed-and-breakfast establishment where the catastrophic blaze occurred. The hotel operated under the Bed and Breakfast scheme as the Lemon Green Inn.

Desperate Rescue Efforts: 'People Were Banging on Glass Windows'

The sudden blaze sparked widespread panic across the property. Guests desperately struggled to flee smoke-choked rooms while firefighters mounted a large-scale rescue operation to save those trapped inside.

Local residents quickly joined the chaotic rescue efforts. One resident recalled rushing to the spot after being alerted by his tenant, witnessing guests desperately trying to escape the burning building.

"My tenant came running and said, 'Brother, a fire has broken out.' I immediately rushed straight into her room and asked, 'Where is the fire?' She said, 'It's outside.' When I came into this lane, people inside were banging their hands against the glass windows. They were hitting it with whatever they had in their hands, but the glass wouldn't break. We threw bricks at the windows to smash the glass," the local said to ANI.

The Trigger: Short Circuit and Cylinder Blasts

The fire is believed to have originated late at night on one of the lower floors, likely near the kitchen or a central utility area. Investigators suspect an electrical short circuit in a high-load appliance or the central air conditioning wiring acted as the initial spark.

The fire quickly reached the hotel's kitchen zone, reportedly triggering secondary blasts in commercial gas cylinders. These explosions ripped through the lower structure, immediately compromising the building's emergency exits and cutting off the main evacuation routes for guests sleeping upstairs.

Illegal Construction and Safety Violations Exposed

As investigators dig deeper into the horrific blaze, a shocking trail of illegal construction, flagrant safety violations, and structural death traps has emerged as the definitive reason behind the high casualty count. Furthermore, according to reports, the restaurant that caught fire in the incident did not even have a fire NOC (No Objection Certificate).