New Delhi, Jun 3 (PTI) The AAP and Congress alleged lapses in the fire department’s response time to the Malviya Nagar hotel inferno around 8:30 am on Wednesday, a tragedy in which at least 21 people, including foreigners, died.
Former Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Malviya Nagar and the party’s Delhi president, Somnath Bharti, said the fire brigade reached the site almost an hour late. The blaze erupted at the Flourish Stay bed-and-breakfast facility in a five-storey building in south Delhi’s Hauz Rani, a congested locality.
“The rescue teams were dispatched, but the fire brigade, which should have arrived within a few minutes of the incident, reached almost an hour later, despite the station just three minutes away from the spot. Residents were extremely proactive. Because of their efforts, many lives were saved. We could have saved many more lives had the fire brigade arrived on time,” Bharti said.
He said, “In the last three months, this is the third major fire incident where the government’s negligence can be seen. In February, nine people were burned alive, and the fire brigade came, but its equipment did not work. It is criminal negligence on the part of the government,” Bharadwaj said.
After visiting the fire site, Devender Yadav, president, Delhi Congress, said, “There is an absolute failure of the fire department in this case, and several other incidents have been reported in the past few days, but the government is not focusing on this. Before this, there were incidents in Palam and Vivek Vihar. There was only permission for 6 rooms, but around 20 rooms were here; there were grave lapses.” Former Delhi chief minister Atishi said in a post on X in Hindi, “The news of 20 lives lost in the Malviya Nagar fire is extremely heartbreaking. My condolences are with all those families who have lost their loved ones. But the question is, who will take responsibility for the repeated fire incidents in Delhi and the deaths of innocent people? Under the BJP government, why has the fire safety system deteriorated to such a deplorable state?” After every tragedy, there are only statements, but accountability is nowhere to be seen, and this negligence at the cost of people’s lives is no longer acceptable, she said.
Police officials said the hotel building had permission for only six rooms, granted under the Delhi government’s bed-and-breakfast policy, but was operating 25. Rooms had also come up in the basement, they said.
They said the hotel had only one entry-exit and its fire NOC is under the scanner.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, police said. PTI SSM ASD ASD
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