Massive fire engulfs banquet hall near DLF Moti Nagar; one person feared trapped

New Delhi: A person is feared trapped in a massive fire that broke out at a banquet hall near Delhi's DLF Moti Nagar area on Monday evening, a Delhi Fire Services (DFS) official said.

Initially, two people were reported to be trapped in the fire that broke out on Monday night, the official said, adding that one managed to escape from the fire while the other is still trapped.

Rescue operations are underway with multiple agencies, including the DFS, National Disaster Relief Force and local police, among others, present at the spot.

Upon receiving the information about the fire, 18 fire tenders were initially rushed to the site, with six more tenders dispatched later on.

"We received a call regarding a fire at 8.47 pm at Golden Banquet Hall, opposite DLF Moti Nagar. A total of 24 fire tenders were rushed to the site," a DFS official said.

Visuals from the scene show thick plumes of black smoke billowing into the night sky as flames engulfed large portions of the Golden Banquet Hall.

Ambulances and police teams were also deployed at the site as a precautionary measure. Authorities have cordoned off the area to keep onlookers at a safe distance, and traffic movement on the adjoining road has been diverted.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.