Malviya Nagar fire: Death toll rises to 23, includes foreign national

The death toll in the Malviya Nagar fire rose to 23, including a foreign national. Preliminary investigation points to the fire starting near a ground-floor staircase, with sealed windows and other safety violations severely hampering escape.

Death Toll Rises to 23

The death toll in the Malviya Nagar fire incident rose to 23 after one more person succumbed to injuries during treatment, officials said. The concerned authorities identified that the deceased is a foreign national who passed away while undergoing medical care.

With this latest fatality, the total number of deaths in the tragic fire incident has now reached 23. Several others are still reported to be undergoing treatment in different hospitals. The fire incident in Malviya Nagar had earlier caused multiple casualties and severe burn injuries to several people. Emergency services had rushed the injured to nearby hospitals, where they have been receiving intensive treatment since the incident. Authorities continue to monitor the situation and have been providing updates as patients remain under care.

Preliminary Investigation Findings

Meanwhile, Preliminary findings by the Delhi Fire Services suggest that the devastating fire at a hotel in Delhi's Malviya Nagar may have originated near the staircase on the ground floor, with sealed windows allegedly hampering escape routes for occupants, officials said.

According to Delhi Fire Services sources, some material kept near the staircase on the ground floor is suspected to be the point of origin of the blaze. The fire allegedly started there and continued to spread rapidly through the building. Officials stated that the exact nature of the material and the precise cause of the fire can only be established after a detailed forensic investigation.

Sources further said all windows in the building were allegedly sealed, leaving occupants with little or no means of escape once the fire intensified. During rescue operations, firefighters also found LPG cylinders on the premises. However, preliminary findings indicate that the blaze may have started from material stored near the staircase before spreading across the building, sources added.

Major Safety Lapses Uncovered

Earlier, during the course of the investigation, authorities allegedly uncovered multiple safety violations and serious deficiencies in the building's fire safety infrastructure. According to sources, the windows and glass panels of the building were completely sealed, leaving no outlet for smoke to escape.

Investigators also found that the entrance to the basement was locked from the inside. It reportedly took rescue teams nearly 10 minutes to gain access to the basement, from where six to seven people were subsequently rescued. The investigation has further revealed that the building lacked adequate ventilation arrangements and did not have an emergency exit gate. According to sources, these shortcomings allowed smoke to rapidly spread throughout the structure, trapping occupants inside and significantly hampering evacuation efforts. (ANI)

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