New Delhi: In the midst of one of Delhi’s deadliest hotel fires in recent years, a father and son turned a stack of mattresses into a lifeline, helping save several people trapped inside a burning hotel as panic gripped the city’s Malviya Nagar area.
When flames engulfed the Flourish Stay hotel in Hauz Rani on June 3, guests trapped on the upper floors faced a horrifying choice remain inside the smoke filled building or jump. Seeing dsperate people hanging from windows and calling for help, local mattress seller Riyazuddin Mansuri and his son Armaan sprang into action.
Without waiting for instructions, the duo emptied their nearby shop, throwing mattresses, quilts and bedding onto the road below to cushion the impact for those forced to jump from the building . Witnesses and local report says at least eight people survived after landing on the makeshift safety net.
The fire tore through the hotel building on a busy Wednesday morning, killing at least 21 people and injuring dozens more. Several victims were foreign nationals staying in the area, which is known for accommodating medical tourists due to its proximity to major hospitals.
As thick black smoke engulfed the structure, residents, traders and passers by became the first responders. Locals smashed windows with bricks, used ropes and bedsheets in rescue attempts, and guided trapped guests to jump onto the mattresses spread below. Some survivors were seen clinging to pipes and window ledges before making desperate leaps to safety.
Armaan later said the family suffered losses estimated at nearly rs2 lakh after sacrificing their stock during the rescue effort. Despite the damage, the family has maintained that saving lives was the priority. Following widespread public praise, demands have grown for authorities to compensate and honour the father son duo for their actions.
Emergency services rushed to the scene after receiving reports of the blaze. Firefighters deployed multiple fire tenders and carried out an extensive rescue operation while police personnel broke walls and windows to reach those trapped inside. More than 50 people were reportedly rescued from the building.
Investigators are continuing to examine the cause of the fire, which is believed to have originated on the lower floors before rapidly spreading upward. The tragedy has reignited concerns about fire safety compliance in hotels and guest accommodations across the national capital. In response, Delhi authorities have announced stricter enforcement and inspections of properties that violate fire safety norms.
Amid the grief and devastation left behind by the blaze, the image of mattresses scattered across the road has become a symbol of extraordinary courage. While firefighters battled the flames, ordinary citizens stepped forward when every second mattered.
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