Delhi hotel fire: Cook arrested for ‘negligence’ as probe reveals safety lapses

The probe into the Malviya Nagar hotel fire that killed 21 people intensified on Saturday (June 6), with Delhi police arresting a hotel cook and detaining several others as investigators widened their focus to possible safety violations and operational lapses.

Keshav Negi was employed at Flourish Stays Bed and Breakfast in Malviya Nagar’s Hauz Rani area, where the blaze broke out on Wednesday morning. According to police, Negi is a resident of Dishad Garden area.

Cook’s role under scrutiny

Sources told NDTV that investigators believe Negi’s negligence played a key role in the fire spreading through the hotel. Apart from him, several others have been detained and are being questioned. Police had earlier arrested hotel owner Lavkesh Bajaj who has been booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

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According to police sources, findings from the initial probe indicate that the blaze spread quickly because of lapses on the part of cook Keshav Negi.

After the fire broke out, Negi fled the building to save himself. In an interaction with NDTV following the incident, he said the electric stove in the kitchen exploded moments after he switched it on, sparking a major fire. He said he then shut down the hotel's main power supply and ran outside through dense smoke.

Investigators have now found that when Negi cut off the power following the stove explosion, the hotel’s electronic doors became locked, leaving several people trapped inside. Among those who died were a husband and wife who suffocated in a bathroom after being unable to open the door. Police sources say Negi's actions left many guests with no route of escape as the flames rapidly engulfed the property.

Officials are examining allegations of fire safety violations, unauthorised construction and operational lapses that may have worsened the scale of the disaster.

Tragedy exposes safety gaps

Investigators have also flagged deficiencies in fire safety systems and ventilation. The basement exit was reportedly locked when firefighters arrived, forcing rescue teams to break open the entrance during operations.

Officials are continuing to piece together the sequence of events that led to the tragedy. Hotel employees and others connected to the establishment are also being questioned as part of the investigation.

Also read | Malviya Nagar hotel fire: Building owner Lavkesh Bajaj arrested as glaring lapses revealed

The fire, the deadliest to hit the national capital since 2022, also left around a dozen people injured.

The blaze erupted at about 8.30 am on Wednesday and spread swiftly through the narrow five-storey structure. The building had 22 rooms, only one entry-exit point, permanently sealed windows and a sensor-operated main entrance door.

A restaurant operated on the ground floor, while the basement and upper storeys of the building were being used as hotel premises.