A massive fire at the Flourish Stay hotel in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar area has left at least 21 people dead.
Distraught relatives have gathered at Max Hospital in Saket, facing immense difficulty identifying victims due to severe burn injuries.
While over 40 people were rescued from the Hauz Rani locality blaze, police officials have launched an investigation into the cause.
A major fire at a hotel in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar has left at least 21 people dead on Wednesday, triggering chaotic scenes as desperate relatives gathered at a local hospital to identify the victims.
The blaze, which tore through the Flourish Stay hotel in the congested Hauz Rani area, trapped numerous occupants as thick smoke filled the building, PTI reported. Although emergency teams successfully rescued more than 40 individuals, over 20 victims were transferred to Max Hospital in Saket, transforming the medical facility into a focal point for grieving families.
Distraught relatives and friends packed the hospital's waiting area, scanning casualty lists, making urgent phone calls, and pressing officials for information. Distinguishing the victims proved exceptionally difficult due to the intensity of the fire.
"We can't recognise them by looking at pictures; it's unrecognisable. Everyone is severely burnt," (Photo se pehchaan me nahi aa rha koi, sab jale hue hain)," one sobbing relative said.
Among those waiting was Namit Goel, who noted that six of his relatives—who had travelled from Gurugram for medical treatment and were staying at the establishment—were caught in the inferno. While four bodies were successfully identified, two remained missing.
"Four bodies are in Max Saket mortuary and two bodies are in another hospital. We are trying to locate them," Goel said.
Similarly, a man named Vivek spent hours searching for his 25-year-old friend, Sujita, who was trapped inside the structure during the incident. Though police officers provided him with photographs of the casualties, he could not find her.
"Can't recognise her, her phone is also not traceable," Vivek stated.
Eyewitnesses described a scene of sheer panic as trapped occupants attempted to flee the smoke-logged premises. According to PTI, a police official stationed at the hospital confirmed the death toll of 21, adding that the precise cause of the disaster has not yet been determined as an official investigation remains underway, reported PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)
