21 Dead in New Delhi Hostel Fire

A devastating fire at a hostel in New Delhi has claimed the lives of 21 people and left over 40 others injured. The blaze originated in the ground-floor restaurant of the Flourish Stay hostel and rapidly spread upward, forcing some desperate guests to jump from windows to escape the thick smoke. Authorities confirmed that the majority of the deceased were foreign nationals, primarily hailing from Central Asian and African countries. While the exact cause of the blaze remains under investigation, local media revealed the facility was illegally operating 25 rooms despite being licensed for only six. In the wake of the tragedy, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly expressed his condolences to the grieving families.