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When fire tore through Malviya Nagar’s Flourish Stay hotel on Tuesday, it was a mattress trader — not a firefighter — who ran towards the building first. Riyazuddin Mansuri and his son Arman emptied their shop to cushion those jumping for their lives. Now, with over Rs 2 lakh in losses, Mansuri wants the government to pay up.
The Mansuris weren’t alone. Social media posts identified four others — Amir Khan, Mohd Shoaib, Wasim Raja and Mohd Afzal — as local residents who reached the spot and pulled people out before any official help arrived. One post summed up the mood: “Humanity arrives before help does.” Mansuri’s demand for compensation is pointed: the hotel owners profited, their negligence caused the fire, and it is ordinary neighbours who are
now counting the cost.
What Did The Mansuris Actually Do?
As guests on upper floors screamed asking whether to jump, Arman rushed out 20 to 25 mattresses and quilts and spread them on the road below. Around eight people jumped and survived. Bedsheets from the shop were also used to carry out the injured — and the dead.
Who Else Stepped In When The System Didn’t?
Locals praised Amir Khan, Mohd Shoaib, Wasim Raja and Mohd Afzal for rescuing people trapped in the fire, with one post noting they “reached there when the system failed to.” Neighbours also brought pillows to break the fall of those leaping from the building.
What Is Mansuri Asking For — And From Whom?
He has sought Rs 2 lakh in compensation from the government, arguing that those who stepped forward during the rescue should not be left to bear the financial burden of someone else’s negligence.
VIDEO | Delhi Malviya Nagar fire: A shop owner laid out around 20-22 mattresses from his shop so that people could safely jump on them to escape fire.
Shop owner Armaan says, "I have my shop here, I got information about the fire, there was a massive fire, nobody could get… pic.twitter.com/9mY8uaVhQx
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 3, 2026
What Happened at Flourish Stay?
A fire at Flourish Stay, a bed-and-breakfast in Hauz Rani, Malviya Nagar, killed 21 people in the early hours of June 3 — nine Indians and 12 foreign nationals. Smoke and flames consumed the building rapidly. Trapped guests smashed windows and cried for help as they ran out of options — and time.
