Top News

As guests trapped inside a burning hotel in Delhi‘s Malviya Nagar searched desperately for a way to escape, mattress trader Riyazuddin Mansuri and his son Armaan Mansuri turned their shop’s stock into makeshift rescue equipment that helped save at least eight lives.

“When I saw people trapped, I took out the mattresses. Saving lives was more important,” Riyazuddin told reporters after the incident, according to media reports.

The father-son duo reportedly dragged 25 to 30 mattresses from their nearby shop and spread them on the road below the hotel. As smoke engulfed the building, several guests jumped from windows onto the mattresses, escaping what could have been fatal falls.

In a fire that claimed 21 lives, the actions of the Mansuris offered a rare moment of hope. Witnesses and media reports credited the pair with helping save around eight people who were left with few options as the blaze spread through the building.

Riyazuddin’s response to the tragedy reflected the simplicity of the rescue effort. “Allah gave me the responsibility to save lives,” he was quoted as saying by The Observer Post.

The rescue came at a personal cost. Many of the mattresses used during the operation were damaged, causing losses estimated at around Rs 2 lakh. Yet the family appeared unfazed by the financial setback, choosing instead to focus on those who survived.

Videos from the scene showed mattresses strewn across the road as residents and emergency personnel worked to bring people to safety. At the centre of those efforts were Riyazuddin and Armaan, whose quick thinking transformed everyday items into lifesaving tools.

While authorities continue to investigate the cause of the fire, the story of the Mansuri father-son duo serves as a reminder that acts of courage often come from ordinary people responding to extraordinary circumstances.