21 Killed in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar Restaurant Fire; PM Announces Ex-Gratia
New Delhi, June 3 (TNT): At least 21 people were killed and several others injured after a major fire broke out at a restaurant in the Malviya Nagar area of south Delhi on Wednesday morning, officials said.
According to officials, a majority of the victims are believed to be foreign nationals, primarily from Central Asian and African countries.
The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said it received a distress call at around 9.45 a.m. and immediately dispatched multiple fire tenders to the spot.
Firefighters launched a rescue operation and evacuated more than 40 people trapped inside the building.
All those rescued were shifted to nearby hospitals in ambulances operated by the Centralised Accident and Trauma Services (CATS), officials said.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, while further details are awaited.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the tragedy and said that all possible assistance is being provided to those affected.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased.
He also announced financial assistance of ₹50,000 for each of the injured persons.
Rescue and relief operations were continuing at the site.
TNT KS
