Hauz Rani falls silent after hotel fire as safety questions rise
A day after the catastrophic fire at Flourish Stay in Hauz Rani claimed 21 lives, the charred hotel remained sealed off on Thursday as residents questioned the safety norms governing the area’s numerous budget hotels, and some foreign nationals began leaving the locality following the tragedy.
The narrow lane where the blaze broke out stood unusually quiet, with Delhi Police personnel deployed at every checkpoint leading to the burnt building. Forensic teams continued collecting evidence from the site throughout the afternoon.
Residents said the incident had shaken confidence in an area known for hosting foreign patients seeking affordable medical treatment in Delhi.
“Our area was known as a haven for people coming from abroad for treatment. This incident has tarnished that image,” said a local woman. She pointed out that several hotels in the locality operate from narrow buildings with only a single entry and exit point. Following Wednesday’s fire, authorities shut down many such establishments, leaving foreign visitors scrambling for accommodation.
A short distance from the burnt hotel, locals pointed to a white Audi parked along the lane. They said the vehicle belonged to Vivek Agarwal, one of the victims of the fire. “Who will drive this now? He died yesterday,” a resident remarked. Agarwal, a resident of Gurugram, was among seven members of the same family who lost their lives in the tragedy.
Just a short walk from the accident site, another branch of Flourish Inn stood deserted. The Pioneer found an Ethiopian national carrying luggage down the staircase. His family members remained admitted at Max Hospital in Saket for treatment, while he searched for alternative accommodation after the tragedy.
Near the burnt hotel, a couple from Kazakhstan who had escaped the blaze returned to search for passports and other documents. Locals said they had jumped from the building to save themselves. The man, with a bandaged hand, said he had been injured during the escape. An Iraqi Embassy representative also visited the site and confirmed that Iraqi nationals were among those affected. He said one Iraqi citizen died in the fire.
In the same lane as Flourish Stay, at least five similar multi-storey hotels remained shuttered on Thursday. At the same time, residents continued to raise concerns about fire safety and emergency exits in the densely packed neighbourhood. Delhi Police arrested the owner of Flourish Stay on Wednesday night in connection with the incident.
