Investigators probing the south Delhi fire at a BnB have found that the establishment in Malviya Nagar, where a massive blaze killed 21 people on Wednesday, was operating far beyond its legal capacity.

Senior Delhi Police officials said the property had permission to run only six rooms but was allegedly operating 25 rooms from the building, Indian Express reported. The Delhi government has now sought a report on who granted permission for the premises and whether rules were violated during approvals.

An Indian Express ground report found that two BnBs, Flourish Stays and Micasa Inn, were functioning from the same building, separated internally by a wall. Police sources told IE that the fire originated in the basement kitchen of Flourish Stays before rapidly spreading to Micasa Inn.

ALSO READ

According to a senior government official, the Tourism Department is responsible for granting licences to BnBs in the Capital. “An order has been issued to the Tourism Department seeking a report on who gave permission for the Malviya Nagar BnB. The building, comprising a basement, ground plus four floors, was allowed only six rooms,” the official told IE.

The Delhi Police has registered an FIR under the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against unknown persons.

Toxic smoke filled building fast, says fire department

South Zone Chief Fire Officer Abhilash Kumar Malik told PTI, “The fire department had no record of a fire safety certificate being issued to this building.”

Malik explained that the structure itself became a death trap once the fire broke out. The building had a basement, ground floor and five upper floors. According to the fire official, once the blaze intensified in the basement, smoke and heat quickly filled the only staircase, cutting off escape for residents staying on the upper floors.

Malik said that all the windows of the BnB had been sealed, leaving no space for ventilation. “There was no way for the smoke to escape. The ventilation system was almost non-existent,” he said, adding that poisonous smoke engulfed the building within minutes.

He further described how the building behaved “like a shaft” during the fire. Hot air and smoke from the basement rapidly travelled upward through the enclosed staircase, trapping occupants inside rooms on higher floors.

ALSO READ

Delhi govt takes stern action

The incident has triggered a wider crackdown on BnBs operating in residential areas across Delhi. Following the tragedy, Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood directed authorities to seal all BnBs found violating sanctioned building plans or operational guidelines.

The minister has also ordered the formation of a high-level committee under the District Magistrate (South), comprising officials from the fire department, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, power, health and tourism departments. The panel will inspect BnBs in Malviya Nagar as well as across the national capital.

“He sought a detailed report on the number of BnBs, how many of them have been found violating rules, and how many of them have been sealed by today evening,” a senior official told IE.