Tragedy in Malviya Nagar: Cook Arrested After Catastrophic Hotel Fire

A South Delhi hotel cook has been arrested following a deadly fire in Malviya Nagar that claimed 21 lives, including several foreigners. Negligence, poor safety standards, and locked emergency exits reportedly contributed to the tragedy. The hotel's owner and two others have also been detained pending further investigation.

In a significant development, Delhi Police have apprehended a hotel cook over the Malviya Nagar fire incident that tragically resulted in 21 fatalities, including foreign nationals, officials announced on Saturday. The investigation points to the cook's negligence as a key factor in the deadly blaze.

The early Wednesday morning fire at a South Delhi bed-and-breakfast claimed the lives of 21 individuals, 17 of whom were foreigners, and left numerous others wounded. Authorities uncovered multiple safety breaches and critical flaws in the building's fire safety systems during their probe.

Sources indicated that windows and glass panels had been sealed, preventing smoke from escaping. Additionally, the basement entrance was reportedly locked from within, delaying rescue efforts as teams took nearly 10 minutes to gain access and save six to seven people. Max Hospital in Saket is currently treating 15 injured patients, with nine in the ICU.

According to Max Hospital, all ventilated patients are stable and showing improvement, while others are receiving attention in the ICU and regular wards. The hospital assured that all admitted patients are in stable condition.

The police have also arrested the hotel owner, Lovekesh Bajaj, and two associates, Sweety Sarkar and Pushpo Sarkar, in connection with the case. Based on the investigation's findings, a chargesheet has been filed against the accused. Bajaj, owner of the Flourish Stays Hotel, is in police custody as further inquiries continue.