A fire tore through Lemon Green Restaurant in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar on Wednesday morning, killing at least 18 people and hospitalizing 37 others, Delhi Police said.
Delhi Fire Services (DFS) received the first alert at 9:45 AM and deployed 10 fire tenders, including two water bowsers, two water tenders, and a quick response vehicle. Firefighters rescued 37 people from the building’s basement. All were rushed to hospital in CATS ambulances.
Malviya Nagar MLA Satish Upadhyay said the blaze began around 9:00 AM. “Our immediate response was to activate the entire system,” he said. “We contacted the Disaster Management team, the District Magistrate, the Station House Officer, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, and the Deputy Commissioner of the MCD.”
Local residents also joined rescue efforts alongside emergency personnel.
What Officials Said
Jitendra Kumar, Sub-Divisional Magistrate and DDMA South District official, said the fire most likely originated inside the restaurant, though a full investigation is pending.
“We do not yet have complete details,” Kumar said. “Four bodies have been recovered and sent to hospital. Additionally, seven to eight other people, including those who sustained injuries, have also been taken for treatment.”
Kumar said the DDMA cell was activated immediately. “I was supposed to leave for a training program myself, but I postponed it and came here instead,” he added.
Divisional Officer Ravinder from the Nehru Place fire station led operations at the scene.
Government Response
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed condolences and confirmed emergency services were mobilised across agencies. “Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in the devastating fire incident in Malviya Nagar,” Gupta said. “Delhi Govt. stands firmly with the affected families.”
She confirmed teams from DFS, Delhi Police, DDMA, and CATS Ambulance Services were deployed rapidly, calling their response key to limiting further casualties.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ex-gratia payments of Rs 2 lakh for families of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. “The loss of lives due to a fire incident in Malviya Nagar, Delhi is tragic,” Modi said.
Investigation Ongoing
The exact cause of the fire remains unknown. Authorities have not confirmed whether the restaurant was operating legally or whether fire safety norms were in place at the time of the blaze.
As the death toll rose through the morning, questions grew about building safety standards in commercial establishments across Delhi — where basement-level dining and cramped layouts have drawn scrutiny following previous fire tragedies.
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