India
The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government has ordered a magisterial probe into the fire that took place at a hotel in Delhi’s Karol Bagh area. The hotel was found brazenly flouting building by-laws.
New Delhi: Following the fire mishap that killed 17 people at a hotel in Delhi’s Karol Bagh, the state government has ordered a magisterial probe.
Home minister Satyendra Jain said, "We have ordered for a magisterial inquiry into the case. 17 people have died, most of them of suffocation. Apparently, there were lapses (from the hotel administration's side) and action will be taken against those found guilty."
Jain who had visited the hotel where the fire broke out in the early hours of February 11 said that the fire department has been directed to inspect all buildings which have five floors or more. The department is to then submit a report on their fire safety compliance within a week. The minister added that generally, four floors are allowed for such establishments.
Describing the hotel in question, Jain stated that a canopy had been put up on the terrace where tables and chairs were laid out. This apart, there were five floors instead of the permissible four. Jain also said that there were visible violation of building by-laws by the hotel. Two officials, including the general manager of the hotel have been detained.
The fire department stated that the terrace was illegally used as an open-air restaurant which had several inflammable material that lead to flames spreading like wildfire. The fire alarm was absent in the building and the fire safety system was non-functional. Despite all this, the building possessed the mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by the fire department. However, hours after the tragedy, Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal stated that a probe will be conducted to look into how the hotel obtained the NOC.
The blaze that swept through the hotel in Gurudwara Road in central Delhi's Karol Bagh killed 17 people, including a minor, the police said. A call about the fire was received at 4.35 am and 24 fire tenders were rushed to the spot, a senior officer from the Delhi Fire Service said.
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