At least 21 people were killed when a fire ripped through a hotel in New Delhi on Wednesday, police said, in one of the deadliest blazes in the Indian capital in recent years.
Building fires are common in India due to a lack of firefighting equipment and routine disregard for safety regulations.
The fire broke out in the morning at Flourish Stay, a bed-and-breakfast in a congested neighbourhood in the south of the city, 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.
It said rescue and search operations were continuing, with more than 40 people taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Rescue operation under way as investigation begins
Officials confirmed that several injured victims were taken to nearby hospitals, while recovery efforts continued at the site of the blaze.
Fires remain a recurring safety concern in India, where building regulations are often poorly enforced, particularly in densely populated urban neighbourhoods.
Local authorities have launched a probe to determine how the fire started and whether safety violations contributed to the high death toll.
