4 dead, 4 injured in devastating Ajmer hotel fire
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Jaipur: A devastating fire broke out at Hotel Naaz in Ajmer's Diggi Bazaar on Thursday morning, killing four people, including a four-year-old child, and injuring several others. The blaze erupted around 8 a.m., rapidly engulfing all five floors of the building, which was reportedly housing a large number of pilgrims at the time.
Among the critically injured is a one-and-a-half-year-old child named Ibrahim, who, along with three others, sustained severe burns. In a harrowing moment captured by eyewitnesses, a woman threw her child out of a window in a desperate bid to save the infant from the flames. The child, who suffered minor burns, was caught by a bystander.
Mangilal Kalosia, the man who caught the child, recounted the terrifying incident: “The fire started with a loud explosion, which we believe came from an air conditioner. We broke the glass windows from outside. The woman then threw her child into my lap from the window.”
Panic swept through the hotel as flames and smoke spread swiftly, forcing several guests to leap from windows to escape. The narrow lanes leading to the hotel significantly hampered rescue operations, causing delays in firefighting and medical response.
Dr. Anil Samaria, Principal of JLN Medical College, confirmed that eight individuals were brought to the hospital. “Four of them died. Three are critically injured. A child is among the deceased,” he stated.
The intense smoke and exhaustion affected many of the emergency responders as well. Several firefighters and police officers fell ill during the operation, including a female constable who began vomiting near the site after her condition worsened.
Despite these obstacles, teams from the police, civil defence, and fire brigade worked relentlessly to evacuate the building. Ajmer Collector Lok Bandhu said that the entire hotel had been thoroughly searched. “No one else was found inside. Our current focus is on providing the best medical care to the injured,” he said.
Deputy Inspector General Om Prakash confirmed the swift arrival of emergency response teams. “Some of our personnel became unwell during the operation but are now stable,” he assured.
Local leaders, including Ward 22 Councillor Bharti Shrivastava, highlighted the gravity of the situation. “Most guests were asleep when the fire broke out. Many were trapped, and glass windows had to be shattered to rescue them. The administration and local representatives worked together closely to support the efforts,” she said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, but preliminary reports suggest it may have been triggered by an air conditioner explosion. Authorities continue to monitor the condition of the injured while assessing the damage.
With IANS inputs
