Delhi hotel that caught fire was booked by wedding party, child among dead

Among the dead in the fire incident were a child and a woman who tried to escape inferno by jumping through a window in the hotel room they occupied. Most of the victims were sleeping when the fire broke out.

The Arpit Palace hotel in Delhi’s Karol Bagh where at least 17 people died in a massive fire that broke out early Tuesday morning was booked by a wedding party when the incident took place. News agency Reuters reported that a large part of the 35-room hotel had been booked by the wedding party.

Firemen engaged in rescue operation at Hotel Arpit Palace that caught fire early Tuesday killing 17 people. (Biplov Bhuyan/HT [hoto)

Among the dead in the fire incident were a child and a woman who tried to escape inferno by jumping through a window in the hotel room they occupied. Most of the victims were sleeping when the fire broke out.

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Delhi minister Satyendra Jain said the district magistrate has ordered an inquiry into the fire incident. Jain promised “strict action” against those found guilty of negligence.

He said, “Seventeen people had died and two others are injured. Most of the people died due to suffocation. Strict action will be taken against those found guilty of negligence. The district magistrate has ordered inquiry.”

At least 35 people were rescued from the hotel located in the popular shopping district of the national capital, Reuters reported quoting Virendra Singh, deputy fire chief.

Read: Major past fire incidents in Delhi-NCR

“There was wooden paneling on corridor because of which people couldn’t use corridors to evacuate,” news agency ANI quoted fire officer Vipin Kental as saying. The officer said that the cause of fire was yet to be investigated. Thirty fire tenders were pressed into the service to extinguish the fire.

“All norms were followed here; license is issued only after inspection. Mishappening can occur in a house as well,” Delhi Hotel Association vice president Balan Mani said, according to ANI, adding, “It was due to fire in ducting because of which it had spread to the hotel rooms.”

Earlier, a fire broke out in a Noida hospital near Delhi forcing emergency evacuation of patients. The fire was contained without resulting in any casualty.

(With inputs from agencies)