Preliminary investigations into the tragic fire at a hotel in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar, which led to 21 fatalities, point towards a potential short circuit as the trigger, according to Delhi Police sources.
The hotel had two kitchens, one in the basement and another on the top floor, both storing LPG cylinders. However, there is no evidence of any LPG cylinder explosion during the incident, as per officials.
Fires of such intensity tend to spread quickly in cases of electrical short circuits within a building’s internal wiring system. The exact cause of the fire is still being probed, with a detailed forensic examination in progress.
BJP MLA Satish Upadhyay from Malviya Nagar Assembly constituency emphasized the immediate focus on the proper treatment and care of the 17 injured survivors. Some of the injured individuals are from countries like Kenya, Cameroon, and Bangladesh, and efforts are underway to ensure they receive top-notch medical care.
Fresh revelations have emerged about the hotel’s owner, Lavkesh Bajaj, who was arrested post the fire that engulfed the five-storey building in Malviya Nagar. Bajaj reportedly confessed to leaving the scene while the building was ablaze, stating fear as the reason for not stopping to aid those trapped inside.
It has been disclosed that Bajaj acquired the property in 2022 and converted it into a hotel-cum-guest house after operating it. The building, previously a Khadi store, was in poor condition even before its transformation into a hospitality facility.
Authorities discovered that Bajaj had approval under the Bed-and-Breakfast (BnB) scheme for six rooms but was allegedly operating around 25 rooms, including some in the basement, raising concerns about safety compliance and regulatory breaches.
