&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Delhi hotel fire: Woman carrying child jumps from burning building, 21 dead")
A distressing development followed in the Malviya Nagar hotel fire, as a woman reportedly wrapping her child in her arms jumped from the third floor of the hotel. The fire erupted at the Hotel Flourish Stay-bed-and-breakfast in the congested Hauz Rani locality. It has resulted in the death of 21 and several others injured, with the expectation of further mounting casualties. According to an eyewitness report, as many as six people jumped from the burning building in a bid to save their lives. Shopkeepers around the locality, sensing the grave nature of the situation, laid mattresses on the road to cushion the fall.
"A woman holding a young child jumped from the third floor after local residents spread mattresses on the ground below in an attempt to save those trapped inside," PTI quoted a witness as saying. The woman reportedly landed on the mattress and suffered injuries; she was immediately transferred to a hospital. "She was carrying the child tightly and jumped when there was no other way out. People had already arranged mattresses below the building. Both survived, but she appeared to have suffered injuries," said the eyewitness.
"The restaurant was operating on the ground floor of the building. The cause of the fire is still not known. Some people from the upper floors jumped out of the building on the mattresses laid on the road by the locals," said Jitendra Kumar, SDM, DDMA, South District.
Officials said that the budget hotel had 25 rooms and was accommodating approximately 40 guests. The reason for the fire is not clear yet. Out of the 21 deaths, authorities confirmed that 18 were foreign nationals, from countries including Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique, and Liberia. The Delhi Police have registered a First Information Report under culpable homicide, as the investigation exposes severe safety lapses.
