Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 31: Four persons including a selection grade constable of Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) were charred to death while ten others received severe burn injuries in a devastating inferno that broke out in a hotel near General Bus-Stand last mid-night.
Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah has ordered an inquiry into the fire incident to be conducted by Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Ajeet Kumar Sahu to ascertain the cause.
The devastating fire broke out in Hotel Neelam owned by National Conference (NC) leader Chander Mohan Sharma near General Bus-Stand at around 0230 hours. As the smoke started billowing out of the three-storey building, police personnel deployed at the Indira Chowk check post immediately informed the Department and Fire and Emergency Services.
Within shortest possible time, fire fighters rushed to the spot and launched operation to rescue the people trapped in the hotel. The fire fighters faced difficulties to rescue the trapped persons due to the electric wires passing through the front side of the hotel. Later, the fire fighters started the rescue operation from the back side of the hotel.
Joint Director, Department of Fire and Emergency Services Rajinder K Hak and DFO Jammu City Rajinder Kumar also reached the spot to personally supervise the rescue operation. After hectic efforts and displaying exemplary courage the fire fighter managed to rescue 10 persons including the Manager of the hotel, who were crying for the help.
They were immediately rushed to Government Medical College and Hospital, where condition of the one of the injured identified as Des Raj (37), son of Sadhu Ram of Billawar, district Kathua was stated to be critical, when reports last came in.
The injured were attended upon in Emergency Wing of the GMC.
In the incident, four persons died due to asphyxiation and burns and their bodies were retrieved by the fire fighters and police.
The deceased were identified a Selection Grade Constable (SgCT) and driver of SSP Rajouri, Rakesh Kumar (40), son of Vaid Rattan of Kishtwar, Dhalu Ram (60), son of Nandu Ram of Machadi, tehsil Billawar, district Kathua and his son Romesh Kumar (26). The identity of fourth deceased was yet to be ascertained.
The injured have been identified as Mohammad Abdullah (20), son of Ali Mohammad of Srinagar, Gulshan Kumar (33), son of Ram Charan of Ambala Cantt, Ajaz Ahmed (30), son of Ali Mohammad of Srinagar, Romesh Kumar (Manager of the hotel), son of Ishar Dass of Akhnoor, Bashir Ahmed (55), son of Shamas Din of district Ramban, Krishan Lal, son of Mulkh Raj and his wife Amri Devi, residents of district Ramban, SSB constable posed at Khelani Doda namely BL Trinath (33), son of VLB Ramna of Jharkhand and Bishan Kumar (40), son of Tota Ram of Akhnoor. The condition of the injured was stated to be out of danger, when reports last came in.
According to an eyewitness, the fire started from store on the ground floor of the hotel where tyres, tubes and old batteries of the vehicles were stored. Within minutes, the fire engulfed the entire building. Electric short circuit is stated to be the reason behind the fire.
When contacted, Joint Director, Department of Fire and Emergency Services Rajinder K Hak said that twelve fire tenders from Jammu Headquarters, Panjtirthi, Gangyal, Gandhi Nagar and Roop Nagar Fire Stations were pressed into service and it took around six hours to the fire fighters to douse the flames.
He informed that multi-purpose foam tenders were also used to douse the flames as it was very difficult to contain fire of rubber tyres with water.
Police sources said that a case of negligence has been registered against the owner of the Hotel and the Manager as there were no fire extinguishers or safety measures at the time of the incident.
A case under FIR Number 30/14 under Sections 304-A and 337 RPC has been registered against owner of the hotel Chander Mohan Sharma and Manager Ramesh Kumar (30), son of Ishar Dass of Akhnoor at Bus-Stand police station as there were no fire extinguishers or other safety measures in the hotel. A hunt has been launched to arrest the owner of the hotel, who went underground on getting information about the fire incident.
There were total 10 rooms in the hotel out of which eight were occupied and goods including furniture and other items worth lakhs got damaged in the devastating fire. “Had the fire extinguisher been installed in the hotel, the tragedy could have been prevented”, police sources said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has ordered an inquiry into the fire incident. “Deputy Commissioner Jammu Ajeet Kumar Sahu has been ordered to enquire into the circumstances that caused the fire and to ascertain responsibility, if any, for the same and submit report within a period of 15 days”, the order said, adding inquiry officer may associate any other officer to assist him in the conduct of the enquiry.
“My condolences to the families of those killed in the hotel fire in Jammu today and I pray for the the speedy recovery of the injured,” Omar mentioned on the Twitter.
Provincial President, National Conference (NC), Devender Singh Rana, Minister for Planning Ajay Sadhotra, former Minister and MLA Vijaypur, Surjit Singh Slathia, Director General (DG), Department of Fire and Emergency Services, Dr G M Bhat along with other senior officials of the Department including Deputy Director Ashok Wangoo also visited the site in the afternoon.
DG Fire and Emergency Service has lauded the role played by the fire fighters in rescuing 10 persons and announced for reward them.
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