Father-son duo’s mattress pile becomes lifeline in Malviya Nagar hotel fire

New Delhi: Panic spread through a Malviya Nagar hotel as thick smoke billowed from the building and flames closed in. Guests rushed to windows, shouting for help. Some leaned out for air. Others looked down at the road below, weighing an impossible choice.

Across the street, Riyazuddin Mansuri and his son Armaan saw the chaos from their small bedding shop. As cries grew louder, they knew every second mattered. Without stopping to weigh risks or cost, they rushed inside and pulled out mattresses and quilts.

Together, they dragged more than 20 mattresses and bedding items onto the road and stacked them beneath the hotel windows. The idea was simple, born in urgency, but it made a difference.

As fire spread, trapped guests began jumping to escape the smoke. The pile of mattresses broke their fall, turning concrete into a makeshift lifeline. According to reports, nearly eight people survived after landing on the cushion created by Riyazuddin and Armaan.

The father-son duo stayed at the site as rescue teams arrived. They helped survivors reach safety, assisted emergency personnel and supported efforts underway. Long after the first mattresses hit the ground, they kept doing what was needed.

When the operation ended, much of their shop stock was gone. The loss amounted to nearly Rs 2 lakh. Riyazuddin didn’t focus on it. “At that moment, I was only thinking about saving lives, not the losses,” he says.

The Malviya Nagar fire claimed 21 lives and left several families grieving. Amid the tragedy, the actions of this father and son helped save others from the same fate.