A fire on Friday in a building in New Delhi, the Indian capital, left 27 dead, the country’s emergency services reported.
“The fire has already been put out. The total death toll is 27. The search operation is ongoing,” a fire brigade official told AFP.
Sunil Choudhary, deputy chief of the Delhi fire service, put the death toll at 26, a slightly lower number.
“More than 25 people are injured, including those who jumped from the building,” Choudhary told AFP.
The third floor of the building, where more could be found, has not yet been searched, CNN-News18 television reported, citing Atul Garg of the New Delhi Fire Department.
More than 40 people suffered burns and were hospitalized, according to media reports.
Between 60 and 70 people were rescued from the building, according to local media, collecting statements from the police.
The massive fire started on the first floor of a four-story commercial building in West Delhi in the late afternoon.
According to the Times of India newspaper, the owner of the building was arrested.
Fires are common in India due to poor construction practices and lack of compliance with safety regulations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences to the relatives of the victims on Twitter.
“Extremely saddened by the loss of life due to a tragic fire in Delhi. My thoughts are with the grieving families. I wish a speedy recovery to those injured,” he wrote.
