Locals turn rescuers as Delhi hotel blaze kills 21

Residents of Malviya Nagar emerged as first responders during the deadly hotel fire that claimed 21 lives. Locals broke windows, spread blankets and mattresses, administered CPR and helped evacuate trapped guests, saving several lives before emergency services reached the scene

New Delhi: There was no moment to spare, and the urgency was not lost on the locals who broke glass windows, spread blankets and mattresses for those forced to jump from upper floors and administered CPR to unconscious victims as they scrambled to rescue patrons from an inferno that tore through a bed-and-breakfast building in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar on Wednesday.

The fire tragedy claimed 21 lives, with many of the victims being foreign nationals staying at the hotel, officials said.

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Among those who rushed to help was Mohammad Shohaib, a resident and staff member at Max Hospital in Saket, who used his emergency response training to assist victims before ambulances arrived.

“I work at Max Hospital, Saket, and have received emergency response training. We found several people unconscious and administered first aid and CPR,” Shohaib said.

He also informed the hospital management, following which ambulances and doctors were sent to the spot. Immediate medical attention helped save several lives, he added.

Shohaib said the entire building was engulfed in thick black smoke and local residents joined police personnel and firefighters in rescue efforts.

“The entire building was filled with thick black smoke. Along with police personnel and firefighters, we entered the premises without concern for our own safety and tried to rescue as many people as possible,” he said.

Anita Chaudhary, a local resident, said panic gripped the neighbourhood after several loud explosions were heard from the building.

“I heard multiple blast-like sounds and then screams from inside the building. People were shouting for help, and some were jumping from windows in a desperate attempt to save themselves. There was chaos all around, and residents rushed towards the building to help those trapped inside,” she said.

Another eyewitness, Sanjay Goyal, who was among the first to reach the spot, said residents immediately mobilised after noticing smoke billowing from the building.

“We saw thick smoke billowing from the building and realised people were trapped inside. Residents gathered blankets and quilts and tried to assist those who were trying to come out.

“We broke glass windows to create escape routes and managed to rescue several people. People inside were continuously screaming for help, and everyone present tried to do whatever they could before the arrival of emergency services,” he said.

According to Goyal, bystanders threw stones at the windows to shatter the glass and help occupants escape.

Another resident, Ishtiyaq Parvez, who participated in the rescue operation, said he immediately alerted authorities after noticing flames and smoke rising from the rear side of the building.

“I noticed flames and smoke coming out of the rear side of the building and immediately alerted the police and fire department,” he said.

Parvez said one man was seen hanging from a second-floor window as smoke rapidly filled the rooms. Before mattresses could be properly positioned, a Nigerian national jumped from the building.

Later, several others were guided to jump onto the mattresses to avoid serious injuries, he said.

According to him, around 12 people jumped from the building, including three to four women.

“I saw some people jumping from the third floor and others from the second floor. There were also couples clinging to pipes and window ledges. We kept encouraging them not to panic and guided them to jump safely,” he added.

A woman carrying her child also jumped from the third floor after local residents spread mattresses below to break the fall, eyewitnesses said. She landed on one of the mattresses along with the child and was immediately taken to a hospital.

Another eyewitness, Vijai Jaishwal, said he spotted smoke emanating from the building while passing through the area around 8.30 am.

“As soon as I saw smoke, I alerted others, and one of my friends immediately called the fire brigade. The inn was known to accommodate a large number of foreign visitors, many of whom came to Delhi for medical treatment because of its proximity to major hospitals in the area,” he said.

Parvez claimed that while ambulance services reached the spot quickly and started evacuating the injured, fire tenders arrived around 25 to 30 minutes later, by which time the blaze had intensified significantly.

Residents said the rescue operation in the initial minutes relied heavily on local volunteers who risked their own safety to help those trapped inside the smoke-filled building before emergency teams brought the situation under control.