Delhi to crack down on fire safety violations after blaze that killed 21

The government in the Indian capital city of Delhi will launch a crackdown on properties violating fire safety norms after a hotel fire killed 21 people on Wednesday, including 12 foreign nationals, the chief minister's office said.

The blaze - the deadliest the city has seen since 2022 - broke out at a hotel in Delhi's Malviya Nagar, which media said was popular among patients being treated at a hospital nearby and their relatives.

A criminal case has been lodged and the owner of the building has been arrested, police said.

A city-wide crackdown will be undertaken against all guest houses and other establishments operating in violation of fire safety norms and building by-laws, the chief minister's office said in a post on X late on Wednesday.

Non-compliant premises will be sealed and those responsible prosecuted, it said.

The foreign nationals killed in the incident included people from Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique and Liberia, according to media reports. Reuters was unable to independently verify the information.

India's foreign ministry is in touch with the embassies concerned and is extending all necessary assistance, Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said in a post on X.