New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the families of those who lost their lives in the devastating fire at a guest house in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar, which has claimed 21 lives. The Prime Minister also announced ₹50,000 compensation for each injured person from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
Expressing grief over the tragedy, the Prime Minister conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the incident.
PM Announces Financial Assistance
In a statement shared by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Modi described the loss of lives as tragic and assured all possible support to those affected.
The PMO stated that the next of kin of each deceased victim will receive ₹2 lakh, while injured victims will be provided ₹50,000 as immediate relief assistance.
Fire Breaks Out at Malviya Nagar Guest House
According to Delhi Police, information about the fire at Flourish Stay B&B in Malviya Nagar was received at around 8:48 AM on Wednesday. Police teams, along with fire and emergency services, rushed to the spot and launched rescue and evacuation operations.
The blaze was brought under control with the deployment of eight fire tenders. More than 40 people were rescued from the building and shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment. However, despite extensive rescue efforts, 21 people lost their lives in the incident.
Authorities said rescue and search operations continued for several hours after the fire was extinguished.
Over 40 People Rescued
Fire Officer A.K. Malik said the department initially dispatched seven fire tenders after receiving the emergency call around 8:50 AM, with additional units sent later to assist in firefighting and rescue operations.
He stated that firefighters successfully rescued 37 people from the building, which consisted of a basement, ground floor and five upper floors.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the building was not functioning solely as a residential establishment. Many of the occupants were reportedly attendants and relatives of patients undergoing treatment at the nearby MAX Hospital. Officials also confirmed that some foreign nationals were staying in the building at the time of the incident.
Investigation Underway
The fire has now been fully extinguished, and the premises have been handed over to Delhi Police for further investigation. Authorities are examining the cause of the blaze, while forensic teams are expected to conduct a detailed inspection.
Officials said all concerned agencies remain deployed to assist affected families and complete the investigation into one of the deadliest fire incidents witnessed in the national capital in recent years.
