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When Delhi Fire Services (DFS) personnel finally forced their way into the smoke-filled Hauz Rani building on Wednesday, they encountered scenes of devastation.
Among the dead was a couple found inside a locked washroom on the first floor – the woman seated on a toilet and the man beside her, appearing to hold her in an embrace as they waited for a rescue that never arrived.
The heartbreaking discovery was one of many made by firefighters battling through thick smoke, flames and a series of obstacles that officials said complicated efforts to save those trapped inside the building, where a fire killed 21 people.
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Fire officials said the rescue operation began under difficult conditions. The building’s basement entrance was blocked by a shutter that had to be cut open before firefighters could reach people trapped inside.
“Every minute matters during a rescue operation… It took around three to four minutes to cut the shutter,” said division officer Ravinder Singh.
Behind it, they found eight people trapped in the basement. “They were all gasping for breath when they were rescued. They had no way out because the staircase was filled with smoke,” Singh said.
Officials said fire tenders reached the spot around 9.05am. By then, flames had spread from the ground-floor restaurant and kitchen to the upper levels, while smoke had engulfed much of the building.
A fire official involved in the operation said crews first entered the basement before moving floor by floor through the structure, extinguishing flames and searching for survivors.
“When we reached, the fire had spread from the ground floor to floors above, and smoke had filled all rooms,” the official said, requesting anonymity.
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The official recalled finding the couple inside a locked washroom on the first floor.
“We suspect they locked themselves inside hoping they would be safe there,” he said.
“The woman was seated on the toilet seat and the man was sitting beside her on a chair. It appeared that she was a patient and he was her caregiver.”
Most guests staying at the B&B were either undergoing treatment at a nearby private hospital in Saket or accompanying relatives receiving medical care.
According to firefighters, while some occupants on the upper levels were conscious and suffering mainly from breathing difficulties, many on the first and second floors were found unconscious due to smoke inhalation.
Most doors were open, which helped us enter quickly, the official explained. “We could rescue some people who were still conscious, but many on the lower floors had already collapsed.”
The rescue and firefighting operation continued for more than three hours before the blaze was brought under control at 12.12pm.
“All fire incidents are challenging, but one of this scale has happened after a long time,” the official said.
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