20 Dead After Massive Fire Breaks Out at a Restaurant in Delhi

New Delhi: At least 20 people died after a fire broke out at a restaurant in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar area on Wednesday. Information about the blaze was received by the fire department at around 9 am, officials said. A woman was seen jumping off an upper floor of a building to escape the blaze and the smoke.

At least ten firefighting vehicles were rushed to the spot to control the fire. According to a Delhi Fire Service (DFS) officer cited by news agency PTI, two water tenders, two water bowsers, a quick response vehicle and other firefighting units were sent as an initial response to control the fire, which broke out at the Lemon Green Restaurant.

The fire reportedly originated on the ground floor where the restaurant was operating, quickly trapping staff and occupants within the structure.

Firefighters faced dense smoke as they cut through the building to launch evacuation efforts. Rescue teams successfully pulled 11 people out of the burning premises, including three individuals who were trapped inside the building’s basement. All the rescued individuals were quickly shifted to nearby hospitals using Centralised Accident and Trauma Services (CATS) ambulances for immediate medical care.

Despite the rapid response, officials confirmed that four people tragically lost their lives in the incident. Their bodies were recovered from the structure and sent for official identification and post-mortem examination.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Jitendra Kumar stated that the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) cell was instantly activated upon receiving the news. “Emergency Response Centers were mobilized to coordinate relief. While the precise cause of the fire is yet to be determined, preliminary assessments indicate the blaze originated within the restaurant setup itself,” he stated.

Divisional Officer Ravinder from the Nehru Place fire station supervised the operations on-site, bringing the flames under control after a grueling two-hour battle. Local police have cordoned off the commercial stretch, and a detailed forensic investigation has been ordered to ascertain if a short circuit or a commercial gas cylinder leak triggered the tragedy.

The accident has once again raised sharp concerns regarding structural fire safety compliance, commercial zoning laws, and emergency exit accessibility in densely populated restaurant hubs across the national capital.