Police have arrested the owner of a New Delhi hotel where a fire killed 21 people, as investigators probe safety failures.
Police said owner Lavkesh Bajaj was arrested late Wednesday, hours after the blaze gutted the building, killing at least nine Indians and 12 foreigners.
A police statement did not mention the nationalities of the foreigners who died, but broadcaster CNN-News18 earlier reported that they included people from Bangladesh, Liberia, Nigeria and Mozambique.
Building fires are common in the country due to a lack of firefighting equipment and routine disregard for safety regulations.
People trapped on upper floors were seen jumping onto mattresses below as fire ripped through the Flourish Stay hotel in a densely-packed neighbourhood of the city.
Several residents were taken to hospital suffering from severe burns, as well as fractured bones after leaping into the street.
“There was reportedly a restaurant operating on the ground floor of the building... it is most likely that the fire was connected to that restaurant,” a local administration official said. — Agencies
