At least 21 people were killed and 26 injured after a major fire engulfed the multi-storied Lemon Green Restaurant in Malviya Nagar, south Delhi, on Wednesday morning, with the Delhi Police confirming that 17 of the deceased are foreign nationals. Most of the foreign victims were from Liberia, Nigeria, Mozambique and Bangladesh, officials said.

Key Developments

Sub-Divisional Magistrate (South Delhi) Jitender Kumar said the search and rescue operation concluded at 12:12 pm IST. ‘A total of 47 people were rescued, of which 21 have died, and 26 are undergoing treatment,’ he said.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi said it had received 13 patients, with three having suffered injuries after reportedly jumping from a height to escape the flames. Three bodies have been shifted to the hospital's Burns and Plastic Surgery Department.

Police personnel among injured

The AIIMS Delhi Trauma Centre confirmed that 10 of the patients are Delhi Police personnel who were among the first responders to enter the burning building. Their early entry, officials indicated, was critical to the rescue of dozens trapped inside the restaurant complex.

Political response

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed distress over the tragedy and announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh to the families of those killed.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a post on X, said: ‘My heart is deeply grieved by the fire incident in Delhi's Malviya Nagar. The local administration is engaged in relief and rescue operations.’ He added that the injured were being given the best medical care and prayed for their swift recovery.

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi called the incident ‘extremely heartbreaking’ and, in a post on X, urged Congress workers to contribute to relief efforts. AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal said in his own X post that ‘the continuous fire incidents in Delhi and the deaths of innocent people are extremely concerning’.

A pattern of fire tragedies

The Malviya Nagar blaze adds to a worrying string of fire incidents across the national capital in recent years, raising fresh questions about building safety compliance, emergency exits, and fire NOC enforcement in commercial premises. Notably, the high foreign-national casualty count is likely to draw diplomatic engagement from the affected African and South Asian missions.

What happens next

Authorities are expected to launch a formal probe into the cause of the fire and the building's safety clearances. Identification and repatriation procedures for the foreign victims will be coordinated with their respective embassies in the coming days.