Woman clutching child among guests who jumped from Delhi hotel fire

Several guests, including a woman carrying a child, jumped from the upper floors of a five-storey hotel engulfed in flames in south Delhi on Wednesday as residents rushed to place mattresses on the road below in a desperate effort to save lives.

The fire broke out at the Flourish Stay bed-and-breakfast in the Hauz Rani area of Malviya Nagar, killing at least 21 people and injuring several others.

As thick black smoke poured from the building and flames spread rapidly, trapped occupants smashed window panes, leaned out of openings and called for help. With staircases and internal passages reportedly choked with smoke, several guests were left with little option but to jump from the upper floors.

Eyewitnesses said at least six people leapt from different levels of the building while attempting to escape the blaze. Among them was a woman clutching a young child.

"There was chaos everywhere. People were trapped and shouting for help from the windows. Some broke open the glass panes and climbed out. We saw several people jumping from different floors," a local resident involved in rescue efforts said.

The unfolding emergency prompted residents and shopkeepers to act before rescue teams could fully access the site. Mattress shop owners and other locals brought mattresses and blankets onto the narrow road outside the building and laid them out to cushion the fall of those attempting to escape.

"The woman was holding the child tightly when she jumped. A few others also jumped shortly before and after her. People below kept repositioning the mattresses wherever someone appeared ready to leap," another eyewitness said.

Several residents formed human chains, guided trapped occupants towards windows and assisted rescue efforts. Witnesses said many bystanders urged others to stop recording videos and help those trapped inside.

The dramatic scenes drew hundreds of onlookers as people emerged from smoke-filled windows and jumped towards mattresses spread out by residents below. Several survivors were carried away by locals and rushed to nearby hospitals.

Mohd Sahidul Islam, Aarmin Jaman and Riyana were among those identified as having jumped from the building to escape the fire.

Over 40 rescued

Teams from the Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police and disaster response units carried out rescue operations at the site.

Officials said more than 40 people were rescued from the building.

At least 10 Delhi Police personnel sustained injuries during the operation and were taken to AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) Delhi for treatment.

Authorities said several of those killed were foreign nationals. The death toll could rise further as a number of injured victims remain in critical condition.

The cause of the fire has not yet been established and an investigation is underway.