At least 21 people have been killed and several others injured after a huge fire swept through a building in a New Delhi neighborhood Wednesday. The building in the Malviya Nagar neighbourhood in the southern part of the Indian city had a restaurant on the ground floor and a hotel above.

The predominantly residential area is densely populated and is popular with students and young professionals. The emergency services raced to the scene with eight fire engines extinguishing the blaze. More than 40 people were rescued and taken to nearby hospitals, Delhi police said in a statement. The cause of the blaze was not immediately known.

Dramatic images from the scene showed firefighters trying to douse the blaze as thick smoke billowed from the building. Some people trapped inside were seen hanging from windows and shouting for help as flames and smoke swept through parts of the building.

Local residents also joined rescue efforts, helping evacuate people trapped inside and carrying some of the injured to safety.

Some of the victims were foreign nationals who had traveled to India for medical treatment, local media reported.

Many foreign patients travel to New Delhi for medical treatment and often stay in nearby hotels or residential accommodation during their visits.

Fires are common in India, partly due to the widespread non-compliance with building codes and fire safety regulations by developers and occupants.

THIS IS A BREAKING STORY. MORE TO FOLLOW…