Eight members of a Gurugram family who had come to Delhi to meet their critically ill relative admitted at a private hospital across the road died in the fire at a bed and breakfast (B&B) facility in south Delhi’s Hauz Rani on Wednesday.
Police identified the victims as Vivek Aggarwal, 45, a chartered accountant and a director at a private firm; his wife Tarjani, 43, who worked at an events management company; their daughters Jivisha, 20, who was pursuing an engineering course in Bengaluru; and Varya, 18, who had recently started Class 11. Vivek’s mother Premlata, 71; uncle Ashok; aunt Kamla Goyal and her husband, Jhaveri Lal Goyal, who had come from Rajasthan’s Ajmer, were also killed.
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Family came to meet Vivek
They had all come to meet Vivek’s 77-year-old father, Radhe Shyam Aggarwal, who was critically ill and, doctors at Max Hospital had told them, may not survive.
{{/usCountry}}They had all come to meet Vivek’s 77-year-old father, Radhe Shyam Aggarwal, who was critically ill and, doctors at Max Hospital had told them, may not survive.
{{/usCountry}}“I never knew that destiny could be so cruel,” said Vivek’s uncle Naresh Gupta at the All India Institute Of Medical Sciences Delhi (AIIMS), where he had reached to identify the bodies. “The one who was to depart is still in ICU, while his entire family who had gathered to bid him goodbye is no more.”
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) Anant Mittal, at least 21 people — 12 foreign nationals and 9 Indians — were killed in the blaze that is suspected to have started in a restaurant on the ground floor at around 8.30am.
Along with the eight Gurugram residents, police identified Shrutika Baranwal as one of the deceased.
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TISS student killed too
The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai earlier said one its students had been killed in the fire.
In a release, TISS said, “It is with profound sadness that we mourn the untimely passing of our student, Shrutika Baranwal, of the Water Policy & Governance Programme (2024–2026), School of Habitat Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences...This heartbreaking loss has deeply saddened the entire TISS community. Her presence, aspirations and contributions will remain a cherished part of our institution.”
Baranwal, who belongs to Jharkhand, had recently graduated and was in Delhi for a job induction, according to people who knew her at TISS.
Speaking to HT, Benedict, an interpreter and a resident of a guest house in the area, identified one of the decease as Sita Beatrice from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a patient he was helping.
“She was 53 years old. She was hypertensive and diabetic, and used to come here for routine check-ups.”
Delhi Fire Services (DFS) identified four other foreign nationals killed as Roland (40), a woman from Liberia; Tshipambaachil (40) from Mozambique; Tulkinov Khpumeium (40); and Makhpirat Khon Kochkaroua (75), without giving further details.
Twelve others had yet to be identified.
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Gurugram family had called relatives
Vivek’s cousin, Vikram, told HT that the family had moved to the B&B three days ago after they were told that the father was in poor condition.
“It was easier to stay close to the hospital than travel from Gurugram daily, that’s why they moved here.”
Their relatives on reaching Delhi after the fire, split into two groups: one went to the Max where Vivek’s father is still under treatment, and the other to AIIMS.
Another relative at AIIMS, asking not to be identified, said Vivek had called his family after the fire first broke out.
“Vivek was on the fourth floor when the fire broke out. He told us that he ran downstairs but it was blocked… maybe, there was too much smoke. He called and said that they were all stuck and needed help.”
However, by the time family members reached Delhi, the worst had already come to pass. Vikram said even helped Delhi fire officials with the rescue. “I helped them carry my brother’s body. I gave him CPR too but it was of no use,” he told HT.
Other relative who also reached the spot shared the challenges of the rescue. “There was no space for the ambulances to enter due to parked cars. We had to break windows of some cars and move them just so the ambulance could reach,” said another relative.
In one corner, Vivek’s father-in-law was sitting in one corner. “I called my daughter Tarjani in the morning and told her I will get food for all of them. She told me that everyone is asleep and will wake up late and so, I should visit later. Around 8:40am, I called my granddaughter but she didn’t take my call. Minutes later, we heard about the fire.”
“I have lost everything,” he said.
A close relative, asking not to be named, said, “I had a detailed conversation with Tarjani over the phone on Tuesday night, when she shared all the details of her father-in-law’s condition with me.”
She had even received a good morning message from Tarjani on Wednesday, “like everyday”. Then, within hours, she learnt of her death.
“Since then, I have checked her message multiple times but was unable to believe that she was no more,” she said.
Vivek and Tarjani’s daughter Jivisha had also flown in that evening. “They were going to take Vivek’s father off ventilator support. So, Vivek immediately had a flight booked for Jivisha and she flew back home on Tuesday evening,” she said.
All that lies as the remnant of the family’s presence at the incident site now is a white Mercedes.