E-Paper
Manager among two charred to death in hotel fire in Ramban
A hotel manager and a waiter were killed, and five others injured in a fire at a hotel in Sanasar, Ramban district, Jammu and Kashmir. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
Two persons, including a hotel manager, were charred to death and five others suffered burn injuries after a massive fire at a facility in the tourist town of Sanasar in Ramban district on Thursday.
The deceased have been identified as hotel manager Raman Sadhotra of Samba and waiter Surinder Singh of Sarad Marothi from Chenani area of Udhampur district.
Sharing details, Ramban deputy magistrate Mussarat Islam said, “The manager and a waiter of hotel Maa Shanti died and five others were injured in the fire incident, which occurred around 1 am. The locals informed the police around 3 am.”
“The injured have been hospitalised in two different hospitals. A first information report (FIR) has been registered by the police and I have also ordered a probe into the incident. The magisterial inquiry is headed by additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Ramban,” he said.
The DC further informed that the cause of fire had not been ascertained yet. Prima facie, it appeared that the short circuit in the electricity wires caused the fire.
As per eyewitness accounts, the hotel was engulfed in a blaze around 1 am on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. Though locals tried to douse the fire, it spread rapidly and engulfed the entire hotel, which was largely made up of wood.
Also read: Army chopper crashes near Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir, pilots injured
Sanasar is connected by a largely dilapidated road with the tourist town of Patnitop and is around 20 km from it. It takes an hour in a car to reach Sanasar from Patnitop.
A local said, “Since Sanasar is located in a valley at a deserted place, only a few tourists visit the place. There’s not much activity and it takes time for any assistance to reach here during any contingency.”
Meanwhile, lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha has expressed grief over the loss of lives in the fire accident at a hotel in Ramban. He has conveyed his condolences and sympathies to the kin of the deceased in an accident and the injured.
“Anguished by the loss of lives due to the fire incident at a hotel in Sanasar. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured,” he said.
