Fire at Moradabad restaurant claims life, injures over 10

A major fire broke out at a three-storey restaurant in Moradabad’s Katghar area on Sunday night, triggering a series of gas cylinder explosions. The blaze injured more than ten people and claimed the life of restaurant owner Pradeep Srivastava’s mother, Maya Srivastava (56), police said on Monday.

According to police reports, the incident occurred around 10 pm at Pari Restaurant near Clark’s Inn Hotel on Rampur Road. Preliminary investigations suggest the fire was caused by a stray firework from a nearby wedding celebration. According to restaurant staff, they were preparing food when a burning firecracker landed inside the premises, rapidly igniting multiple gas cylinders and engulfing all three floors in flames.

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At the time of the fire, 16 people were trapped inside. Thick smoke blocked the staircase, making it impossible to escape. Some individuals broke windows to escape, while one person jumped from the first floor to save his life.

Firefighters and police rushed to the scene and began rescue operations using ladders. After nearly two hours of intense effort and with the help of seven fire tenders, the fire was finally brought under control.

More than ten individuals sustained burn injuries and were admitted to the district hospital. Critically injured among them are Sadhana (36), her son Shaurya (8), owner Pradeep Srivastava’s wife Shivani (32), his daughter Pari (9), Sachin Srivastava (39), and Ajay (40). Tragically, Maya Srivastava succumbed to her injuries.

Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as flames engulfed the building. “People were screaming for help and breaking windows to escape. The fire spread so fast that we could barely see anything through the smoke,” one witness said.

Chief Fire Officer Rajiv Kumar Pandey confirmed that the intensity of the fire was exacerbated by multiple cylinder explosions. “We received a call around 10 p.m. Seven fire tenders were deployed immediately, and additional units were called in. The situation was brought under control after strenuous efforts,” he said.

Police temporarily evacuated nearby buildings to prevent the fire from spreading further. A garage adjacent to the restaurant also caught fire during the incident. Authorities are conducting a detailed investigation to assess property damage and verify if proper safety measures were in place. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway.