Hotel fire-fighting system non-functional, staff asleep

The six-storey 18-metre Swarna Palace Hotel lacks a no objection certificate from the fire department, something mandatory for every building taller than 16 metres. Though it was equipped with fire-fighting equipment, the smoke detectors and water sprinklers installed were not in working condition.

Fire authorities believe had the smoke detectors been active, the sleeping hotel staff would have woken up with the alarm going off around 5 am. They could then have made efforts to fight the fire till fire brigade came to the scene. During the crucial period, they could have also evacuated

SANITISER SPRAYS were used to sanitise rooms, beds, their inflammable vapour could have fed the fire.

Covid-19 patients staying at the hotel.

Hotel workers did not notice the fire as they were fast asleep at the time. By the time they realised the hotel was on fire, the fire had spread to the first and second floors,

Majority of the patients were of advanced age with mild symptoms or were asymptomatic. When they realised the hotel was on fire, some of the patients rushed to the third floor and started screaming for help from the open corridors. Fire personnel rescued as many as 18 Coronavirus patients by bringing them down using their ladders and with the help of ropes.

Regional fire officer G. Srinivasulu said as sanitiser sprays were being widely used to sanitise rooms, beds and other facilities, their inflammable vapours hanging in the air could have catalysed the fire. That could be the reason for the fire spreading rapidly.

Krishna district medical and health officer Dr I. Ramesh said, “We gave permission to Ramesh Hospital to use Swarna Palace to accommodate Covid-19 patients after putting in place all safety precautions”. The hotel had the capacity to accommodate 30 patients.