Overview
- A fast‑moving fire broke out at the Flourish Stays bed‑and‑breakfast in Hauz Rani on June 3, trapping guests and ultimately killing 23 people as rescuers evacuated 49 others.
- Police have arrested owner Lavkesh Bajaj, accountant Jay Mishra and the cook and sent the owner and accountant to 12 days of judicial custody while a manager remains absconding.
- Mishra has told investigators he was listed as the registered owner on paperwork submitted in 2024 at the owner’s request, prompting a probe into how the licence was issued and whether documents were misused.
- Forensic and fire‑department findings submitted to court say the property had unauthorised partitions and extra commercial rooms that blocked the sole escape route, and investigators are examining whether an unattended fryer, an electrical short or an appliance explosion caused the rapid spread; police also cite a near‑30‑minute delay in alerting emergency services.
- Many victims were foreign medical tourists staying near hospitals, hospitals continue treating the injured, and officials are assembling documentary records and seeking technical help to determine criminal liability and whether wider licensing checks are needed.