India, June 4 -- By Wednesday afternoon, the narrow lanes of Hauz Rani village had fallen eerily silent. The smell of burnt concrete and lingering smoke had replaced the usual bustle of patients' attendants, shopkeepers and hotel guests.

Residents stood in clusters, speaking in hushed tones about the tragedy that had unfolded just hours earlier at Flourish Stay B&B, where at least 21 people were killed and several others injured in a devastating fire. Several foreign nationals from Central Asia and Africa, along with a few Indians, lost their lives. Around 10 police personnel sustained injuries.

The blaze broke out around 8.50 am at the five-storey hotel, located in a congested lane of South Delhi's Malviya Nagar area. The building, whi...