New Delhi [India], June 3 (ANI): Seventeen foreign nationals were among the 21 people killed in the devastating fire at a hotel in Delhi's Malviya Nagar on Wednesday, with most of the victims reportedly hailing from Liberia, Nigeria, Mozambique and Bangladesh, officials said.

Earlier in the day, at least 21 people were killed and more than 40 rescued after a massive fire broke out at Flourish Stay B&B in Malviya Nagar at around 8:48 am. Officials said over 15 foreign nationals were among the deceased.

Addressing a press conference, Max Healthcare Group Medical Director Dr Sandeep Budhiraja said eight patients injured in the fire are currently on ventilator support and remain in critical condition.

'Eight patients are on ventilators and undergoing treatment. The majority of them have suffered from asphyxiation injuries, which are caused by smoke inhalation. All of them have minor burns, not deep burns. One patient had burns of more than 25 per cent. He was on a ventilator, so we shifted him to the burn ward at Safdarjung Hospital. Five patients were stable and came with minor injuries,' Budhiraja said.

The doctor further said several patients suffered fractures after reportedly jumping from upper floors to escape the blaze.

'These patients basically had two or three types of injuries: lung injuries, minor burns, and bone injuries. Because many patients claimed they jumped from high buildings, the resulting fractures were long bone fractures and pelvic bone fractures. One patient has a spinal injury and is undergoing neurosurgery,' Budhiraja said.

He added that both Indian and foreign nationals were among the victims and said 18 of the deceased included nine men and nine women.

Meanwhile, Chief Fire Officer (South Zone) Abhilash Kumar Malik said the Delhi Fire Service initially deployed seven fire tenders after receiving a call at 8:50 am, later increasing manpower and equipment as the scale of the incident became clear.

'7 vehicles were initially dispatched, along with an Assistant Divisional Officer. However, as calls increased, we increased the number of vehicles and the officers' category. When our team initially arrived, they conducted firefighting and a search operation. We evacuated 39 people from there and transferred them to hospitals,' Malik said.

He said preliminary inspection revealed major structural and fire safety concerns in the building.

'The structure consists of a basement, a ground floor and five upper stories. There was only a single staircase alongside an elevator. The building was completely sealed, with windows shut, leaving no ventilation or smoke outlet,' Malik said.

He explained that the building structure acted like a 'chimney,' causing smoke and heat to spread rapidly to upper floors and trapping occupants.

'In a fire accident, structures built like this act exactly like a chimney. The moment a fire breaks out, the single enclosed column forces all the dense smoke and intense heat to rise immediately to the upper floors. This happens so rapidly that occupants are completely cut off and have no time to safely evacuate. When we were conducting rescue operations, we quickly realised that the building completely lacked an internal fire protection system,' he said.

Meanwhile, MCD Mayor Pravesh Wahi said strict directives are issued to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

'A tragic incident has occurred. I am in constant contact with the Commissioner stationed at the site. Our ministers and senior officials from the municipal corporation are present on the ground. Every possible effort is being made to assist. The Prime Minister has also announced a measure of relief assistance for the victims. We have issued strict directives to ensure that such incidents do not recur; officials will conduct continuous and rigorous inspections across all areas,' the mayor said.

'Any negligence regarding safety protocols or hazardous conditions will not be tolerated under any circumstances, and we will take every measure to ensure that such a tragedy is never repeated. The exact cause has not yet been determined... 47 people sustained injuries, and it has been confirmed that 21 of them have lost their lives,' he added.

According to sources, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena will chair a high-level meeting later in the evening with all concerned authorities to review the incident.

Earlier, the Delhi police had also registered an FIR under culpable homicide and other relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the incident.

Delhi police identified the hotel owner as Lokesh Bajaj and said the hotel was allegedly operated by three partners, who are believed to own several hotels and guest houses across Delhi. Police and other investigating agencies are examining ownership, operations and compliance with fire safety standards.

Meanwhile, ten Delhi Police personnel involved in rescue operations were shifted to AIIMS Trauma Centre after exposure in the red zone. Officials said all are stable and under observation. (ANI)