New Delhi: Major fire at a restaurant in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar has left 21 people dead and multiple others injured, with authorities fearing more individuals may still be trapped inside the building. The Delhi Fire Services received an emergency alert at approximately 9:45 AM on Wednesday regarding a blaze at the Lemon Green restaurant.
Firefighters rushed to the scene and managed to rescue thirty-seven people from the basement of the structure, all of whom were immediately hospitalised. Divisional Officer Ravinder from the Nehru Place fire station is currently on-site coordinating the emergency response, and sources indicate that several citizens from various African countries had been staying at the property.
Local MLA Satish Upadhyay stated that the fire appears to have broken out around 9:00 AM, prompting the immediate activation of the regional disaster management system. Local administration officials, including the District Magistrate, the Station House Officer, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, and the Deputy Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, were quickly mobilised to handle the crisis. Upadhyay noted that while the exact cause of the inferno remains unknown pending a formal investigation, local residents also played a vital role by pitching in to assist officials with the initial rescue operations.
Providing further details from the site, Jitendra Kumar, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate for the Delhi Disaster Management Authority in the South District, confirmed that the blaze likely originated within the restaurant premises. He stated that rescue teams had recovered an initial batch of bodies for hospital transfer, while several other injured victims were simultaneously taken for urgent medical treatment. Police and medical teams are currently working to formally identify the deceased and establish the exact condition of those undergoing emergency care.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed deep sadness over the tragic loss of lives in the devastating incident and assured the public that the Delhi government is closely monitoring the situation. Gupta stated that all necessary medical assistance and administrative support are being actively extended to the affected families. Emphasising that the government stands firmly with the victims in this hour of grief, she reiterated a commitment to providing every possible resource to aid those impacted by the tragedy as recovery operations continue.