'Electric stove exploded, then I cut off power': Cook’s revelation in Delhi fire that killed 21 - Moneycontrol.com
According to investigators, Negi told police that the fire broke out shortly after he switched on an electric stove in the hotel's kitchen on Wednesday
According to investigators, Negi told police that the fire broke out shortly after he switched on an electric stove in the hotel's kitchen on Wednesday morning. Keshav Negi (ANI) Hotel cook held after Delhi blaze kills 21, including tourists Fire started after electric stove exploded in kitchen, police say Power outage may have disabled locks, trapping guests inside Did our AI summary help? Days after a devastating fire claimed 21 lives at a hotel in Delhi's Malviya Nagar, police have arrested the property's cook, alleging that negligence on his part triggered the blaze. The accused, identified as Keshav Negi, was taken into custody on Saturday after being questioned for nearly six hours.
Investigators say his statement helped reconstruct the sequence of events that led to Wednesday's tragedy, which also killed 13 foreign nationals. Kitchen incident sparked blaze, police say According to investigators, Negi told police that the fire broke out shortly after he switched on an electric stove in the hotel's kitchen on Wednesday morning. During questioning, he claimed the appliance exploded, causing flames to spread rapidly across the building. As smoke filled the premises, Negi allegedly panicked and attempted to respond to the emergency. Police said their investigation revealed that before fleeing the building, Negi switched off the establishment's main power supply.
Authorities are now examining whether that action worsened the situation for guests trapped inside. Power shutdown may have disabled exit routes Investigators suspect that cutting electricity to the building may have disabled its electronic door-locking system, potentially preventing occupants from escaping as the fire spread. According to police, the shutdown may have rendered several electronically controlled doors inoperable, trapping guests inside rooms and blocking critical evacuation routes. The functioning of the electronic locks has emerged as a key focus of the investigation, with authorities trying to determine whether the power cut contributed to the high death toll.
Questions over safety measures The blaze tore through the Malviya Nagar property on Wednesday, killing 21 people and injuring several others. Investigators are continuing to examine the chain of events from the moment the fire started to assess whether lapses in safety procedures or negligence played a role in the scale of the disaster. The probe is also looking into whether the hotel's emergency systems functioned as intended and if adequate fire safety measures were in place. (With agency inputs)
The BriefWire