17 people, including a child, have died and at least 4 were injured when a major fire engulfed several storeys of a central Delhi hotel early on Tuesday.
The fire broke out on the third and fourth floor, but the blaze quickly spiralled down. Many people were still fast asleep at the time.
25 firefighters rushed to the spot after receiving a call at 4.30 a.m. About 35 people were rescued from the six-storeyed Hotel Arpit Palace in Karol Bagh, New Delhi, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mandeep Randhawa said. 3 people jumped off from the blazing building.
According to a senior police officer, a child and 16 others, including a woman, died in the fire outbreak. Most victims died of suffocation, Fire Chief Officer G.C. Mishra said. The death toll could rise further.
At least 35 rooms in the hotel were booked by members of one family, who were in the city for a special function.
The hotel comprises a basement, a ground floor and four other floors. Only the basement and ground floors were not affected. Most damages were reported between the second and the fourth floor. The fire has been controlled and the cooling process is underway.