At least eighteen people were killed after a fire broke out at the Lemon Green Restaurant in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar area on Wednesday, prompting a major rescue operation by the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), according to Delhi Police.The charred Lemon Green eatery in Delhi's Malviya Nagar which caught fire today. (Sanchit Khanna/HT)The blaze erupted at the restaurant during the morning hours, with several people reported trapped inside the building. Firefighters rushed to the spot and launched rescue efforts to evacuate those caught in the fire.Track latest updates on Delhi Malviya Nagar fire hereAccording to officials, the Delhi Fire Services received a distress call in the morning and immediately dispatched multiple firefighting units, including two water tenders, two water bowsers, a quick response vehicle and other emergency equipment.Reacting to the tragedy, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed grief over the loss of lives and said the Delhi government was closely monitoring the situation. In a post on X, Gupta said emergency response teams from the Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), and CATS Ambulance Services were mobilised immediately after information about the incident was received. She said their swift response helped rescue and evacuate several people from the affected premises.The chief minister also conveyed her condolences to the families of those killed and said all necessary medical assistance and support were being extended to the affected families. "In this hour of grief, Delhi Government stands firmly with the affected families. We remain committed to providing every possible support to those impacted by this tragedy," she said.Earlier in the day, DFS officials said 11 people had been rescued from the building and shifted to hospitals by Centralised Accident and Trauma Services (CATS) ambulances. However, Delhi Police later confirmed that at least 10 people had died in the incident.During the operation, firefighters entered the basement of the restaurant and rescued people trapped inside. Divisional Officer Ravinder from the Nehru Place fire station was present at the spot and supervised the rescue efforts."A fire broke out at a restaurant in Malviya Nagar. Delhi Fire Services received a call and immediately dispatched firefighting units to the scene. Rescue operations were carried out and the injured were shifted to hospitals," an official said.The exact number of people present inside the restaurant when the fire broke out was not immediately known. Authorities are continuing search and rescue operations while assessing the extent of the damage.The cause of the fire has not yet been established. Police and fire department officials have launched an investigation to determine how the blaze started and whether any fire safety violations or lapses contributed to the tragedy.