Authorities in Delhi say that a fire at a hospital resulted in the deaths of at least six newborn newborns.

At a hospital in the Vivek Vihar neighbourhood of the Indian capital, the fire started late on Saturday night.

According to senior police officer Surendra Choudhary, there were twelve infants in the facility. A death had occurred prior to the start of the fire.

Authorities threatened to file a lawsuit against the hospital's owner, who had absconded.

Vibrant images shared on social media depict multiple explosions of flames as the structure was completely destroyed.

Delhi's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the fire was "heartbreaking".

"The causes of the incident are being investigated and whoever is responsible for this negligence will not be spared," Mr Kejriwal said.

The director of Delhi's fire department Atul Garg told the Press Trust of India news agency that 14 fire trucks were sent to fight the blaze.

"The fire spread too fast due to a blast in an oxygen cylinder," he said.

Officials said rescue efforts were slowed by limited access to the building, which has a single staircase and no fire escape.

The hospital is squeezed between residential houses and it is not clear yet whether it followed all safety regulations, nor what initially caused the fire.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "The fire tragedy at a hospital in Delhi is heart-rending."

Earlier on Saturday, a "massive fire" broke out at a games arcade in Rajkot, in the western state of Gujarat.

At least 27 people have perished in that blaze, local officials said. Many of the victims are believed to be children.

Families of the deceased are awaiting the results of DNA testing before the bodies can be handed over.

The arcade fire was allegedly started due to a short circuit, and within a matter of hours the two-storey building had been destroyed. When the BBC’s team reached the location, all that was visible was scrap metal and combustible debris.

Authorities continued searching for further bodies in the rubble on Sunday.

Fires are not uncommon in Indian cities as building bylaws are often flouted, residential and commercial areas not clearly segregated and enforcement of safety regulations can be lax.