They were crying for help: Eyewitnesses

NEW DELHI: “They were crying for help waving hands to save it was the horrific situation,” said the eyewitnesses present at hotel’s inferno spot in Karol Bagh. Alok and his friend Aadesh were staying in the hotel close to Arpit Palace. In the morning he heard the doorbell and then came outside his room. “I heard lots of noise so I came down only to see people through window waving hands and crying for help,” said Alok.

He further stated that on the fourth floor he saw smoke coming out from the window which later turned into flames.” A person jumped from the floor but the timing was not good so he got hit by the window and fell,” said Aadesh adding that in few minutes another person, a woman jumped and landed on the floor.

A resident Balanmani who claimed himself as local RWA member stated that the people who were watching the scene where provoking woman to jump with a kid which was totally dangerous. He further stated that it was total chaos and stampede like situation. “In order to rescue themselves, people were falling in one another at the hotel main gate,” said Balanmani. Reports were also coming that through mobile torches, people who were trapped inside the hotel tried to attract a crowd which had gathered near the hotel.

Another resident, Rajendra Singh stated that the hotel was made in the 90s and it was the first time such an incident happened. “Earlier in the area, there were no hotels later it started flourishing,” said Singh.

Meanwhile, the local residents claimed that one of the roads was closed near the stay which delayed fire tenders to reach the spot. “When the first fire tender came the ladder was not opening properly. Later another fire tender came and they started the rescue work,” said the residents.