Arvind Kejriwal: Rs 5 lakh compensation for those killed in hotel fire

At least 17 people, including a child, were killed in the fire that broke out in the Arpit Palace Hotel on Gurudwara Road in Karol Bagh. Kejriwal announced the compensation after visiting the spot

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced Rs 5 lakh compensation to the next of kin of those killed in a massive fire that swept through a hotel in central Delhi's Karol Bagh area in the early hours of Tuesday.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on 17 dead in the fire that broke out in Hotel Arpit Palace in Karol Bagh today: Ex gratia of Rs. 5 lakh each will be given by the government to the kin of the deceased. pic.twitter.com/K12cH04fXo

— ANI (@ANI) February 12, 2019

At least 17 people, including a child, were killed in the fire that broke out in the Arpit Palace Hotel on Gurudwara Road in Karol Bagh. Kejriwal announced the compensation after visiting the spot. The city government has ordered a magisterial probe into the tragedy. According to the fire department, at least 11 people suffered injuries and were sent to the hospital. It said 30 fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the blaze has been doused. Cooling operation in the building is underway, the department said. Fire Officer Vipin Kental said, "The cause of the fire is yet to be investigated. 30 fire tenders had been rushed to the spot. The rescue operation is over. There was wood panelling on the corridors because of which people could not use the corridors to escape."

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Sunil Choudhary said, "The fire has been doused. We have to look for bodies, if any, inside the hotel. Those injured have been sent to hospital. Two hotel staff members had jumped from the fourth floor of the hotel in an attempt to save themselves. The status of the staff who jumped is yet to be known." Meanwhile, the Delhi Hotel Association claimed that all fire safety norms were followed and the licence was issued only after inspection of Hotel Arpit Palace.

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