At least 21 people have been killed in a fire that ripped through a hotel in New Delhi, police said, marking one of the deadliest blazes in the Indian capital in recent years.

The fire broke out on Wednesday in a building in the Malviya Nagar neighborhood in southern New Delhi, which houses a restaurant on the ground floor and a hotel above. The predominantly residential area is densely populated and popular with students and young professionals.

The blaze was extinguished with the help of eight fire engines, and more than 40 people were rescued and taken to nearby hospitals, Delhi police said in a statement. “It is with profound sorrow that 21 persons have been declared dead in this tragic incident,” the force said.

Several of those killed were visitors from African countries who had come to the city for medical treatment, local media reported. Many foreign patients travel to New Delhi for treatment and often stay in nearby residential accommodation during their visits.

Television footage showed two people jumping from a higher floor of the building, and several people trapped inside as flames and smoke swept through parts of the building. Local residents joined rescue efforts, helping evacuate people who couldn’t get out, and carrying some of the injured to safety.

The cause of the blaze was not immediately known, but building fires are relatively common in India due to a lack of firefighting equipment and frequent disregard for safety regulations. “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,” local administration official Jitendra Kumar told reporters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the loss of lives was tragic and extended his heartfelt condolences to those who have lost their loved ones and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

Source: www.aljazeera.com