Malviya Nagar fire incident: Co-owner of Flourish Stay Lovkesh Bajaj on the run; prospect circular issued as 21 killed | Today’s news

A major fire broke out early Wednesday at a bed and breakfast in South Delhi’s densely populated Malviya Nagar area, killing at least 21 people, including 17 foreign nationals, and injuring several others. The tragedy happened at 8:48 am.

As investigators stepped up their probe into the tragedy, a team of Delhi Police visited the residence of Lovkesh Bajaj, co-owner of Flourish Stay Hotel, after preliminary findings pointed to serious violations of building codes and fire safety norms at the property.

Delhi Police said it has issued a circular (LoC) against Bajaj and other accused. This is said to be done to ensure that they do not flee abroad.

The visit was part of a broader investigation into the fatal fire, with authorities looking into possible violations related to fire safety compliance, structural approvals and emergency evacuation measures at the hotel. The Delhi Police has formed several teams to find the owner of the hotel and conducted raids at several locations across the capital as part of the ongoing investigation.

It was allowed to build 25 rooms instead of 6, the fire allegedly started on the ground floor and others

Officials said the hotel where the fire occurred was only licensed to operate six rooms as a bed-and-breakfast (B&B). But investigators found that the owner had allegedly expanded the facility to 25 rooms. Authorities also found similar violations at the Green Residency Hotel, located about 100 meters from the site of the fire, which was licensed to operate six rooms but was said to be operating 28.

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Preliminary findings from the Delhi Fire Services suggest that the fire may have started near the staircase on the ground floor. Investigators suspect that the source of the fire could have been flammable material stored on the premises, which then quickly spread throughout the building.

Officials said the exact cause of the fire, as well as the nature of the material believed to have started it, will be determined after a comprehensive forensic examination.

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ANI sources also claimed that all the windows in the building were sealed, severely limiting the escape routes for the residents as the fire grew rapidly.

Firefighters discovered LPG bottles inside the premises during the rescue operation. However, according to preliminary estimates, the fire is believed to have started from material stored near a stairwell before it quickly spread through the building, sources said.

A detailed investigation, including forensic examinations, is currently underway to determine the exact circumstances that led to the tragedy.

Meanwhile, former Delhi Fire Services Director Atul Garg described the incident as “very unfortunate” and highlighted the structural and civic problems prevalent in the area.

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“More than 22 people died and this is a very unfortunate incident. This is a very congested area where the fire brigade cannot move easily. There is no water source and the encroachment made it difficult to fight the fire. Many houses only have one staircase. There was a lot of smoke and people did not have time to get out. That is why so many people did not die there, NO safety precautions.” stated

Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Malviya Nagar Satish Upadhyay said strict action would be taken against those found responsible for violating safety norms, saying, “An inquiry will be conducted and anyone who has violated norms and is responsible will be arrested immediately. Other B&Bs, hotels and guest houses that do not follow protocols will be sealed.”

Amid the ongoing investigation, distraught relatives of the victims expressed anger and frustration at delays in getting information about their loved ones.

“Max Hospital said there are 2-4 bodies, but no one has told us anything more than that. We don’t know where our loved ones are. No one is trying to do anything here. We are very frustrated,” said a family member of the victim.