Delhi Hotel Fire: Flourish Inn manager surrenders 5 days after 22 deaths

Jai Mishra, the manager of the Flourish Inn hotel in Delhi's Malviya Nagar, surrendered before a court on Monday, five days after a devastating fire at the property claimed 22 lives.

The tragic blaze broke out on June 3 and rapidly engulfed the five-storey hotel, killing 21 guests on the spot, including nine Indians and 12 foreign nationals. A Nigerian citizen later succumbed to injuries, taking the death toll to 22.

The surrender comes amid an ongoing investigation into alleged safety violations and negligence at the hotel. Delhi Police had earlier arrested the property's owner, Lavkesh Bajaj, after issuing a Look-Out Circular (LOC) against him and his wife.

Investigators found that Bajaj had initially operated the establishment from a two-storey structure before adding two-and-a-half additional floors. Although the property was licensed under the Bed-and-Breakfast (B&B) scheme, which permits only six rooms, authorities alleged that as many as 25 rooms were being operated, including some in the basement.

According to Bajaj, the day-to-day management of the hotel had been entrusted to Jai Mishra, and several operational licenses were reportedly issued in the manager's name.

The investigation also led to the arrest of hotel cook Keshav Negi on June 6. Police suspect negligence on his part may have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. Negi had earlier claimed that an electric stove exploded shortly after he switched it on in the kitchen, triggering the blaze. He said he switched off the main power supply before escaping the smoke-filled building.

Authorities have described the incident as one of Delhi’s deadliest hotel fires in recent years. Preliminary findings revealed serious safety concerns, including a single entry-exit point, permanently sealed windows, and a sensor-operated main entrance door that may have hindered evacuation efforts during the emergency.

The investigation is ongoing, with police examining potential violations of fire safety and building regulations.