Four people, including a four-year-old child, died and seven got injured in a massive fire that broke out at a hotel in Diggi Bazaar area of Rajasthan's Ajmer on Thursday, officials said.
According to officials, the hotel is located in the cramped lanes of Diggi Bazaar, which also hampered the rescue operation.
The hotel does not have an NOC from the fire department and also violates several municipal corporation rules, they said.
A fire broke out at Naaz Hotel early this morning due to a short circuit. Gradually, the fire engulfed the entire five-storey building, the police said.
Some of the guests at the five-storey hotel saved their lives by jumping from the windows. ADM City Gajendra Singh Rathore has confirmed that the fire has been extinguished after about three hours of firefighting.
"The search operation has also ended and there is no one else inside. The hotel manager indicated that the fire originated from the electrical panel and rapidly spread." JLN Medical College Principal, Dr Anil Samaria said, "Four people, including two men, a woman and a child succumbed to the injuries in the fire incident. Five others are injured out of which four are critically injured and undergoing treatment. The injured have 50 to 90 per cent burn injuries." Two other injured are admitted to a private hospital, the officials said, adding that the guests staying at the hotel had come to offer prayers at Ajmer Sharif Dargah, located close to the hotel.
The deceased were identified as Mohammad Zahid, Shabnam Noorani, her son Arman Noorani and Alfaz. Among the injured is a woman constable of the fire department.
Additional SP Himanshu Jangid said the narrow approach road to the hotel hampered rescue work.
Ajmer Municipal Corporation Deputy Mayor Neeraj Jain told PTI, "The hotel building is an illegal construction. The corporation takes action against such structures from time to time. But, this action remains limited to issuing notice.” “Such incidents can only be stopped when action is taken by the concerned officials and staff. Ambulances and fire tenders could reach this hotel, but it would not be possible for them to enter the Dargah area where several illegal constructions are built. I have apprised the Mayor about it," the civic body official said. Prima facie, fire broke out due to a short circuit but the exact reason will be revealed after a detailed probe, Chief Fire Officer Jagdish Prasad told PTI.
The hotel was being operated illegally and did not have an NOC from the fire department. Notices were issued to the hotel administration last year to install fire equipment and comply with the rules during inspection, he said.
A guest at the hotel said there was a sound of a blast after which he, along with his wife, ran out. "A woman threw her child in my lap from a window. She also tried to jump off the building but we stopped her," Mangila Kalosia, who was staying at the hotel, said. He said a man also jumped from a window and sustained head injuries.
Plumes of thick black smoke emanating from the hotel could be seen billowing into the sky.
Several videos of the incident also made rounds on social media.
In one of the videos, two people were seen jumping onto the adjacent building from a window and landing safely. Another man grabs a rope dangling from the side and slides down, ultimately falling to the ground.
Expressing grief over the incident, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, in a post on X, said, "The loss of lives in the fire incident is extremely tragic. My condolences are with the grieving families. I pray to Lord Ram that the souls of those who lost their lives in this accident find peace and that the injured recover swiftly.” “Appropriate instructions have been given to the district administration to provide all possible medical assistance to the injured," he said.
Governor Haribhau Bagde, in a post on X, said, "I pray to God for the peace of the departed souls and give strength to the grief-stricken families to bear this loss. I also wish for the speedy recovery of those injured in the incident."
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