By Ahmad Adil
CHANDIGARH, India (AA): At least 17 people were killed and several others injured on Tuesday when a fire broke out at a hotel in the Indian capital New Delhi, emergency officials said.
Virendra Singh, deputy fire chief, confirmed the death toll to Anadolu Agency adding that two of the injured have been kept in the hospital for observation.
He said they received a phone call from Arpit Palace Hotel located on Gurudwara Road in the wee hours of Tuesday after which fire tenders were rushed to the area. There were an estimated 150 occupants in the 65-room hotel when the fire broke out. Thirty-five people were rescued.
“The rescue operation is over now,” he added.
The hotel located in the congested Karol Bagh area is often thronged by tourists.
Local media reported most people were sleeping and many died due to suffocation.
“Video recorded on cellphones by eye-witnesses showed huge flames crowning the terrace of the large, white building,” local broadcaster NDTV said.
Additional report by The Muslim News
[Map of India by US State Dept. Public Domain]
