Delhi Police rescues five from raging hotel fire in Paharganj, averts major tragedy

Delhi Police rescues five from raging hotel fire in Paharganj, averts major tragedy

New Delhi, In a daring rescue operation, Delhi Police personnel saved five lives and evacuated several others after a massive fire broke out at a hotel in central Delhi's Paharganj area in the early hours of Thursday, a senior officer said.

Delhi Police rescues five from raging hotel fire in Paharganj, averts major tragedy

Risking their lives, the police personnel jumped across rooftops and smashed through barriers to reach guests trapped inside the smoke-filled building, what could have turned into a major tragedy, the officer said.

The blaze erupted at Hotel Pallavi Palace on Arakashan Road in the Nabi Karim area, trapping guests and triggering panic. According to the police, the incident was reported around 3 am.

"Even before a PCR call was formally logged at 3.12 am, a police team from Nabi Karim police station had already reached the spot," Deputy Commissioner of Police Anant Mittal said.

When the team arrived, guests were screaming for help as thick smoke filled the four-storey building. The fire, which started in the ground floor reception area, quickly blocked the main entrance and cut off the only direct escape route for those in the 18-room hotel.

"The situation was extremely challenging as visibility was near zero due to dense smoke, while flames continued to spread inside the building," the DCP said.

Realising that entry through the main gate was impossible, a team of constables Feru, Sanjay and Mukul devised a plan to reach the trapped guests through an adjoining hotel. Without thinking about their own safety, they entered the neighbouring building, climbed to the terrace and jumped across to the rooftop of the burning hotel.

Eleven fire tenders were rushed to the spot as firefighting operations were launched. Police coordinated with the fire department, BSES officials, PCR vans and ambulance services to manage the rescue.

Police said that three guests were found stranded on a balcony, trying unsuccessfully to jump to the adjacent hotel. An iron grill and glass partition made their escape impossible.

"The police broke the glass and iron barrier and pulled us one by one," one of the rescued guests said. "They saved us from the second floor almost immediately after they got the information. We thought we would not survive," said another guest. The police team, assisted by firefighters, eventually evacuated eight people from the third and fourth floors by guiding them to the rooftop. From there, they were led through the staircases of the adjacent building and rescued. Two other guests, who were asleep in a locked room on the second floor, were rescued after police broke open the door.

Five people were rescued safely, while three others who sustained burn injuries were given first aid on the spot before being shifted to hospital. One of them suffered 60 per cent burn injuries, while two others sustained 10 per cent burns.

Preliminary inquiry suggests that the blaze may have been caused by an electrical short circuit, police said, adding that further investigation is underway.

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