21 k!lled in tragic India restaurant fire

At least 21 people were k!lled after a major fire broke out at the Lemon Green Restaurant in Malviya Nagar area of Delhi, India.

The fire occurred at the multi-storey restaurant located in the Hauz Rani area of South Delhi.

The blaze started at around 8:50 AM on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.

According to reports, the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) received information about the incident at approximately 9:45 AM and immediately dispatched firefighting and rescue teams to the scene.

In its initial statement, the Delhi Fire Service said 37 people were rescued from the basement of the building and shifted to hospitals through CATS ambulances.

According to Delhi Police, 21 persons have been k!lled, and 37 were evacuated from the building and admitted to hospitals for treatment.

Out of the 21 deceased, majority of them were foreigners, the police said. However, their exact number is yet to be confirmed.

Joint CP South Vijay Kumar told CNN News18 that police is in touch with the embassies of the deceased foreign nationals.

“We’re trying to establish their identity. Majority of the documents at the spot are all burnt,” he said.

He said that police teams are locating the owner of the property.

“Apart from this, teams are at the spot and we’re closely working with fire teams to identify the cause of fire and for registration of a case,” Kumar said.

According to the report, the restaurant had been granted a licence by the Delhi government under the “Bed and Breakfast” category. Under the terms of the licence, permission was reportedly given for only six rooms.

However, preliminary information suggests that the property was allegedly operating around 25 rooms, including several located in the basement.

Further, the hotel had only one common entry and exit point.

Authorities are expected to examine whether any violations of licensing and safety norms contributed to the scale of the tragedy.

This building does not function as a standalone residential complex.

According to the report, most of the occupants in the building were individuals whose known people were being treated in the Max Hospital located directly across the street.

In a statement, Max Hospital said that it received 39 patients at its Emergency Department following the incident.

The hospital said that the victims suffered from asphyxiation, along with varying degrees of burn injuries and fractures.

Of the 39 patients brought to the facility, 18 were declared d3ad on arrival. Fifteen patients are currently admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), including eight who are on ventilator support and remain in critical condition.

Five patients with minor injuries were treated and discharged after receiving primary medical care, while one severely injured patient was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital due to extensive burns. The deceased include both Indian and foreign nationals.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in the fire.

In a statement, Gupta extended her condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

CM said that the Delhi government is closely monitoring the situation and ensuring that all necessary medical assistance and support are provided to the affected families.

Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor (LG) Taranjit Singh Sandhu said that he was deeply distressed by the tragedy and conveyed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.

He said police, civil administration and fire department teams were conducting rescue and relief operations at the site.

The LG added that officials had been directed to ensure immediate medical assistance for the injured and carry out a thorough investigation into the incident.

Expressing sorrow at the fire incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs. 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased.

He said that authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected.

Reacting to the d3adly fire, Home Minister Amit Shah said that he was deeply disturbed by the incident, and assured that best medical facilities will be provided to the injured persons.