Karol Bagh Hotel Fire: Delhi Police Register Culpable Homicide Case In Arpit Palace Blaze That Killed 17

New Delhi, February 12: Hours after Minister for Home and Urban Development for the national capital Satyendar Jain ordered a magisterial inquiry into the tragic blaze in a central Delhi hotel on Tuesday, the Delhi Police registered a case of culpable homicide in connection with the fire that broke out in Hotel Arpit Palace in Karol Bagh. Adding on, the police said that the name of responsible persons would be added in the case.

Earlier in the day, a tragic fire at Hotel Arpit Palace in Karol Bagh area which devoured 17 lives, including that of a child. Stating the reason for the fire, Jain had said – while speaking to the media – that construction norms for building hotel were violated. He said that ten permission for the construction was only for four floors, but the hotel was made of six floors. Delhi Government Orders Probe Into Arpit Palace Hotel Fire Tragedy in Karol Bagh Which Claimed 17 Lives.

Stating that orders for inspection into the case have been done, Jain took to Twitter and wrote, “Fire in Karol Bagh hotel, 17 casualties, two injured. Magistrate enquiry ordered. Visible violations of building bye-laws, building constructed six stories including one temporary floor instead of permissible four floors. Ordered fire inspection of buildings in the area.”

Echoing similar line, the Union Minister K J Alphons stated not only the construction norms were violated, but even the narrow emergency exit at the hotel was locked. He said, “When I headed to the emergency exit, I found that it had been locked yesterday (last night). Also, it was too narrow. Obviously, even if people came to the emergency exit, they could not have escaped as it was too narrow and it was locked anyway.”

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after visiting the site, stated that the an inquiry will be launched to find out whether the owner had a valid licence to run the hotel and the bar which is housed inside.

According to the police, the fire broke out in the wee hours of the morning at Arpit Palace Hotel – which comprises a basement, a ground floor and four other floors. The fire was reported on third and fourth floors, but the blaze spiralled down as well. Only the basement and ground floors were not affected. Three people jumped off from the blazing structure even as 25 fire tenders rushed to the spot after receiving a call at 4.30 am.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 12, 2019 07:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).