A fire swept through a building in New Delhi on Wednesday. Police said at least 21 people died and several others were hurt.

The building was in the Malviya Nagar area in the south of the city. It had a restaurant on the ground floor and a hotel above.

Delhi police said eight fire engines helped put out the fire. More than 40 people were rescued and taken to nearby hospitals.

The cause of the fire was not known at first. Photos from the scene showed firefighters and thick smoke. Some people were seen at windows, asking for help.

Local people also helped rescue people. Some of the dead were foreign nationals who had come to India for medical treatment, local media said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was sorry for the deaths, and his office said the families would get 200,000 rupees each.