Delhi Hotel Fire: Families Search for Loved Ones, Investigators Reconstruct Sequence Of Events
Authorities launched multiple investigations into the Malviya Nagar hotel fire that killed 21 people and exposed serious regulatory violations.
Published : June 4, 2026 at 12:27 PM IST
|Updated : June 4, 2026 at 1:38 PM IST
New Delhi: Questions continue to mount over the devastating fire at the five-storey Flourish Stay hotel in South Delhi's Hauz Rani area of Malviya Nagar, where at least 21 people lost their lives. While authorities have launched multiple investigations into the tragedy, grieving families spent Thursday searching hospitals and mortuaries for their loved ones.
According to the latest information, around 13 bodies have been sent to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for post-mortem examination. The death toll continued to rise till Wednesday evening, with several victims belonging to three families.
The deceased also includes foreign nationals who had come to Delhi for personal work or to accompany relatives undergoing treatment at nearby hospitals.
Families Search For Loved Ones
Hours after the fire, many relatives were still struggling to determine where the bodies of the victims had been taken. Several foreign nationals reached the AIIMS mortuary on Wednesday evening carrying identity documents and photographs of missing relatives.
Among those being searched for were 39-year-old Ndubuisi Okele and 36-year-old Chiemeka Ikeazu. A friend of the victims said they all belonged to the same village in Nigeria and had known each other for years.
"We have been searching for them since morning. We first went to the hotel and showed them the photographs, but nobody could tell us anything. Later, we learned that some of the bodies had been brought to the AIIMS mortuary," he said.
The friend also said a video circulating on social media appeared to show another Nigerian national, Ndubuisi, being rescued unconscious from the burning building. However, his condition remains unclear.
Police officials said one of the Nigerian nationals injured in the fire has been admitted to Safdarjung Hospital, while another is admitted to AIIMS.
The tragedy also claimed the life of Vivek, a resident of Rajasthan's Ajmer district. Up to seven of his family and relatives are also feared to have died from suffocation. Family members expressed anguish over the incident and questioned the emergency response.
One relative claimed he remained with Vivek after he was rescued, and tried to keep him alive while he was being shifted to AIIMS, but he succumbed to his injuries before reaching the hospital.
Several other people were seen arriving at the AIIMS mortuary in search of their relatives. Many appeared visibly distressed and angry, but declined to speak to the media.
Tragic End For Gurugram Family
Eight members of a Gurugram family who lost their lives in the devastating fire were cremated on Thursday amid scenes of grief and mourning. The victims had travelled to Delhi to visit a family elder, Radheshyam Agarwal, who was on ventilator support at Max Hospital. They were staying at the hotel when the fire broke out, claiming 21 lives.
The deceased included chartered accountant Vivek Agarwal, his wife, Tarjani Agarwal, his mother, Hemlata Agarwal, and his daughters, Jivisha and Varya. Relatives Javri Lal, Kamala Devi and Ashok Pansari, who had come from Rajasthan, also died in the tragedy.
After post-mortem examinations in Delhi, the bodies were brought to the family's residence in Sector 46, Gurugram, where relatives and well-wishers paid their last respects. The last rites were later performed at the Sector 32 crematorium.
Tarjani Agarwal was a former Mrs India winner, having won the title in 2023. She was also active in modelling and was remembered by acquaintances as a devoted family person.
Police Probe Fire Safety Violations, Illegal Construction
Meanwhile, Crime Branch officials of the Delhi Police, along with forensic experts, continued their investigation at the gutted hotel building on Thursday. The area remained cordoned off as investigators reconstructed the sequence of events leading to the tragedy and collected evidence from the site.
Police said locals, shopkeepers, hotel staff and other witnesses are also being questioned as part of the investigation. Officials said they are examining all aspects of the incident, including alleged building norm violations, fire safety lapses, illegal construction and factors that may have contributed to the high death toll.
According to police, hotel owner Lavkesh Bajaj has been arrested and booked under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, offences related to fire, property damage and negligence that endangered human life and safety.
Preliminary findings suggest the establishment had permission to operate only six rooms but was allegedly running around 25 rooms, including some in the basement. Officials are also verifying reports that additional floors were constructed without approval and that the building lacked the mandatory fire No Objection Certificate (NOC). Investigators are examining whether the absence of the fire NOC and alleged unauthorised construction contributed to the scale of the tragedy.
Police are also probing allegations that sealed windows, a single entry-exit point and a sensor-operated main door may have hampered evacuation efforts during the blaze.
MCD Launches Survey
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has launched a survey of commercial establishments across South Delhi and announced a sealing drive against properties found to be in violation of building by-laws and license conditions.
Officials said the building where the fire occurred had never been booked for any violation earlier and did not have a sanctioned building plan. Authorities also found irregularities at a food outlet on the ground floor, which was allegedly operating as a full-fledged restaurant despite having permission only for a tea-and-snack facility.
Under the bed-and-breakfast scheme, only limited hospitality activities are permitted, and commercial kitchens or restaurants are not allowed. Officials said the outlet's license had expired in April.
The civic body said enforcement action against unauthorised commercial establishments in South Delhi has begun and similar drives may be carried out in other areas following recent concerns over illegal construction and commercial activity.
The fire broke out at the Flourish Stay hotel on Wednesday morning, leaving 21 people dead and several others injured. Many of the victims were foreign nationals staying at the hotel while attending to relatives undergoing treatment at nearby hospitals.
While post-mortem examinations of the victims are scheduled, investigators continue to examine whether negligence, illegal construction and fire safety violations contributed to one of the deadliest hotel fires in recent years.
Also Read:
- Delhi Malviya Nagar Fire: Hotel Building Owner Arrested; CM Orders Citywide Crackdown Against Illegal Properties
- ETV Bharat Ground Report | Inside Delhi's 'Death Traps': How Residential Buildings Became Unsafe Hotels
- Delhi Malviya Nagar Fire: Culpable Homicide FIR Filed; 10 Police Personnel Injured During Rescue Op
