Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested Lovkesh Bajaj, co-owner of Hotel Flourish Stays where a massive fire killed 21 people and left several others injured. The arrest came shortly after Delhi Police issued a Lookout Circular against Bajaj and his wife as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident.

According to official information, 49 persons were admitted to various hospitals following the blaze. During treatment, 21 victims succumbed to their injuries and were declared dead. The deceased include nine Indian nationals and 12 foreign nationals.

Authorities said eight injured persons have been discharged after receiving treatment, while the remaining victims continue to undergo medical care at different hospitals across Delhi.

ALSO READ

According to ANI, preliminary findings by the Delhi Fire Services showed that the fire may have originated near the staircase on the ground floor, where combustible material had reportedly been stored. Officials said the fire spread rapidly through the building within minutes.

South Zone Chief Fire Officer Abhilash Kumar Malik said the building lacked even basic fire safety compliance. “The fire department had no record of a fire safety certificate being issued to this building,” Malik said.

He explained that the structure itself turned into a death trap after the fire broke out. The building comprised a basement, ground floor and five upper floors but had limited ventilation and inadequate escape routes. Malik added that all the windows in the building had been sealed, leaving virtually no space for smoke to escape.

According to fire officials, the smoke quickly engulfed the enclosed structure, trapping many occupants inside rooms on the upper floors. A detailed forensic investigation is now underway to determine the exact sequence of events and identify possible lapses.

Following the tragedy, Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood chaired a high-level review meeting on Wednesday to assess the incident and the city’s broader fire safety preparedness.

Later, in a post on X, Sood announced that a magisterial inquiry had been ordered into the Malviya Nagar fire.

“Following detailed deliberations, a coordinated citywide fire safety enforcement campaign has been initiated to strengthen preparedness,” Sood said. He added that teams led by district administration officials, police, municipal authorities and fire services would begin extensive inspections and enforcement drives across Delhi from Thursday.

“The safety of Delhi’s citizens remains our highest priority, and every necessary step will be taken to prevent such tragedies in the future,” he said.