New Delhi: A foreign national injured in the fire at a hotel in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar succumbed to injuries during treatment at a hospital, taking the death toll in the tragedy to 22, police said on Sunday, June 7.
The blaze ripped through Flourish Stays B&B in the Hauz Rani area on Wednesday morning, killing 21 people, including a 16-year-old girl and several foreign nationals from Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Iraq, Congo, Mozambique and Liberia.
A foreigner, who was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Delhi, succumbed to injuries late last night, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Anant Mittal said.
With this, the death toll in one of the deadliest fire incidents reported in the national capital in recent years has climbed to 22.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has arrested the hotel’s owner and the cook, alleging that his negligence may have played a role in triggering the blaze. Several other persons associated with the establishment are being questioned.
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According to police sources, preliminary findings suggest that the cook’s actions could have contributed to the outbreak of the fire. Investigators are examining the exact sequence of events and questioning several people connected to the hotel.
Police had earlier arrested hotel owner Lavkesh Bajaj and booked him under charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The probe is focusing on alleged safety violations, unauthorised expansion of rooms and lapses in fire safety measures.
The investigation has found that the hotel was operating 25 rooms despite permission for only six, according to the FIR registered by Malviya Nagar Police.
Authorities have also identified alleged deficiencies in ventilation and emergency preparedness at the premises. The basement entrance was found locked when rescue teams arrived, forcing firefighters to cut open the door during rescue operations.
Multiple police teams are working to trace Jay Mishra, an associate of the hotel owner who has been absconding since the incident.
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