At least 21 people were killed and dozens rescued after a massive fire swept through a hotel in India's capital on Wednesday morning, officials said.
The fire broke out around 8:50 am in the basement restaurant of the five-storey Micasa Inn hotel in the Malviya Nagar area of New Delhi.
Fire service officials said several firefighting units, including water engines, water bowsers and a quick-response vehicle, were rushed to the scene after receiving an emergency call.
Authorities believe around 40 people were inside the building when the fire started. The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined.
Television footage showed some guests jumping from the building in a desperate attempt to escape the flames.
The hotel, located in the narrow lanes of Hauz Rani, has around 25 rooms and was reportedly accommodating about 40 guests at the time. Many of them were foreign nationals who had travelled to India for medical treatment.
According to reports, most guests were asleep when the fire broke out, making evacuation more difficult.
Kesar Singh, a chef working at the hotel's restaurant, said the fire started shortly after he tried to switch on an electric stove at around 8:00 am. He described scenes of panic as flames quickly spread through the premises.
Rescue and firefighting operations continued for several hours, while authorities launched an investigation into the incident.
Source: NDTV