Manager Surrenders 5 Days After 22 Die In Delhi Hotel Fire

Five days after a deadly fire at a Delhi hotel killed 22 people, the hotel's manager surrendered in court. Jai Mishra was the manager at the Flourish Inn hotel in Malviya Nagar, where the fire broke out on Wednesday morning. 21 guests, including nine Indians and 12 foreigners, were killed in the fire, while a Nigerian national died due to his injuries later. 

Delhi police had earlier arrested the hotel building's owner, Lavkesh Bajaj, after a look-out circular (LOC) was issued against Bajaj and his wife. 

Investigation revealed that Bajaj initially started his business in a two-storey building and later added two and a half floors to it.

Bajaj said he obtained a license under the 'BnB' (bed-and-breakfast) scheme, under which only six rooms are allowed. He was, however, allegedly operating 25 rooms, including some in the basement.

Though Bajaj is the sole owner of the B&B, he had handed over the entire management to manager Jai Mishra. All hotel licenses were issued in Mishra's name, he said.

On Saturday, Delhi Police arrested the hotel cook Keshav Negi. Police sources said the initial investigation shows the fire spread rapidly due to the negligence of Negi.

Negi had fled the hotel after the fire to save his life. After the incident, Negi had told NDTV that as soon as he turned on the electric stove in the kitchen, it exploded, leading to a massive fire. He said that he then turned off the main power switch of the hotel and ran out amid thick smoke.

The fire, one of the deadliest in the national capital in recent times, also left several people injured. The fire started around 8:30 am on June 3 and rapidly spread through the five floors of the building that had 22 rooms, only one entry-exit point, permanently sealed windows, and a sensor-operated main door.