The Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested Lovkesh Bajaj, owner of the multi-storey building in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar where a fire killed 21 persons earlier in the day, PTI reported.

The fire broke out at Flourish Stays, a ground-plus-five-storey bed-and-breakfast establishment located in a narrow lane opposite Max Hospital in Saket.

Those who died included 10 Indians, nine African nationals and two from Turkmenistan, PTI quoted officials as saying. Most of the foreign nationals were medical tourists who had come to India for treatment, or were accompanying patients.

Senior police officers said that the establishment had 26 rooms, more than four times the maximum permissible limit of six, The Indian Express reported. Most rooms in the building are believed to have been occupied at the time of the fire. The building had only one entry and exit. It allegedly did not have a No-Objection Certificate from the Fire Department, the newspaper reported.

On Wednesday, the police filed a first information report in the case and invoked charges of culpable homicide, among others.

Following the incident, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu ordered a month-long inspection drive of hotels, nursing homes, coaching centres, restaurants and other vulnerable commercial establishments.

Sandhu also announced that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered to “thoroughly investigate the incident and ascertain responsibility”.

Home Minister Ashish Sood directed that all bed-and-breakfast establishments violating building plans and guidelines to be sealed

“No need to issue any showcause notice or give time to such owners for explanation,” he said. “Just seal all the BnBs.”

Edited by Tanya Shrivastava.