Month since the deadly fire in a Malviya Nagar bed and breakfast hotel killed 23, families are still in shock, frozen in time, as justice and closure elude them.
The Tribune today revisited the relatives of the Gurugram’s Aggarwal family that was wiped out in the June 3 fire with eight members succumbing to fire, smoke and injuries.
Ajay Gupta, a relative of the Aggarwals, said it was still difficult for everyone to accept what happened, let alone move on.
“We all shared a very close, happy and respectful relationship with Tarjani and Vivek who died in the fire with their two children and mother. Tarjani was my niece. I have seen her since the time she was born and then leave the world. Even today, everyone in the family is trying to cope with the tragedy. It will take a long time to come to terms with what has happened. We are all still in shock," he told The Tribune.
Gupta said in cases like these the judiciary should take a suo motu notice and ensure that their intervention would bring certain changes so that no one dies again from the same causes and in the same circumstances.
Mahender, Tarjini’s maternal cousin, said, “The void they left can never be filled. Time may pass, but what we have lost cannot be replaced. We are all telling each other to accept reality and slowly return to normal life because otherwise the trauma will only grow,” he said as the tragedy exposed the consequences of fire safety equipment failures, delayed accountability and a system that many believe moved only after the disaster struck.
Malaviya Nagar MLA Satish Upadhyaya of the BJP, when contacted, said, “What happened is deeply tragic and should never have happened. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. As a government, we have taken action against those responsible for the lapses that led to the incident."
He said the government has found that decisions taken during the previous AAP tenure were among the factors that contributed to the tragedy.
“I would like to acknowledge the help of residents who stepped forward to aid rescue efforts after the tragedy that day. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has honoured them for their courage and service. Going forward, checks will be put in place,” he said.
The fire had killed 23 people, including 13 foreign nationals and 10 Indians, in one of the Capital’s deadliest hotel fires in recent years and had broken out at the accommodation facility operating on Bed and Breakfast (B&B) licence.
Panic unfolded within minutes of the spark as several occupants scrambled for escape, while others remained stranded behind smoke-filled corridors and sealed exits.
Local residents joined rescue efforts even before emergency teams brought the blaze under control.
Among those who never made it out was the Aggarwal family from Gurugram. Chartered accountant Vivek Aggarwal had moved into the hotel with his wife Tarjani, daughters Angel and Pearl, and his mother Premlata to stay close to Max Hospital in Saket, where his father remained admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, who later on died during treatment. What began as a temporary arrangement to care for an ailing parent ended with three generations of the family being wiped out in a single night.
The tragedy was not limited to one family. The victims included Indian and foreign nationals, many of whom had travelled to Delhi for medical treatment. For several families across India and abroad, the hotel that was meant to be a place of shelter became the scene of unimaginable loss.
In the weeks that followed, investigators turned their attention to the building itself. The probe widened beyond the cause of the fire to examine whether the premises complied with safety and building regulations. Investigators are examining allegations that sealed glass windows, sensor-operated gates that reportedly failed during the emergency, overcrowding and multiple fire safety violations may have prevented occupants from escaping in time.
Subsequent scrutiny also brought the property’s approvals and licensing under the spotlight. Official documents showed the premises had been registered under Delhi’s B&B scheme for only six rooms, but operated beyond that. With Lokesh Bajaj, the owner of building giving statement – “Mujhe bola tha ki Delhi me sab chalta hai!” reveals much more about the systematic failure.
Officials have pointed to the role of different agencies responsible for building approvals, occupancy certification, licensing and fire safety, which includes Delhi Fire Services, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi Police, while questions remain over how such premises continue to operate despite alleged deviations from approved norms.
