A devastating fire broke out at a hotel in the Indian capital of Delhi, leaving at least 21 people dead. Meanwhile, at least 40 individuals have been rescued alive from the scene and rushed to various nearby hospitals.

The incident occurred at around 8:50 AM on Wednesday (June 3) at the Hotel Mikasa, located in Delhi's Malviya Nagar. Authorities reported that the fire originated in a basement restaurant of the five-story hotel building, according to NDTV.

According to reports by the Indian media outlet, many people were staying at the hotel at the time of the fire, the majority of whom were foreign nationals. Many of them had traveled to India for medical treatment. Some people were even seen jumping from the building in a desperate attempt to escape the flames.

According to police sources, firefighting and rescue operations were launched swiftly after receiving reports of the fire in the morning. The blaze was brought under control through the efforts of eight firefighting units. So far, at least 40 people have been rescued alive and sent to nearby hospitals. Rescue operations are still underway.

Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed deep condolences over the tragic incident. He has also announced a compensation of 200,000 rupees for the family of each deceased victim and 50,000 rupees for each of the injured and burn victims.