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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced Rs 2 lakh exgratia for families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those grievously injured in the fire that engulfed two hotels in Lucknow’s Charbagh area on Tuesday.
Five people died in the inferno that started on Tuesday morning and charred the hotels, which are located close to the Lucknow railway station. Among the victims are a woman and a child. The identity of the deceased is yet to be ascertained.
Expressing grief at the loss of lives, the UP CM said he has instructed officials to provide all medical assistance to the injured.
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The fire broke out at the Hotel Virat International on Tuesday morning and soon engulfed the adjacent SSJ International Hotel, gutting both buildings.
A dozen fire tenders were rushed to contain the blaze. It took more than two hours for the fire fighters to douse the raging flames.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Deepak Kumar said the fire started in the basement and soon leaped to the upper floors.
Senior district officials were present at the spot and overseeing search and rescue operations.
The police said that over 50 people were rescued from the building.
S Pandey, IG Lucknow, told reporters that the cause of fire is still to be ascertained. According to reports, preliminary inquiry points to short circuit.
State Tourism Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi who reached the site to monitor the rescue operation said that a probe has been ordered to ascertain if proper fire safety norms were followed by the two hotels.
“If we find any lapse on hotel’s part during our investigation, we will take strict action against the people concerned,” he said. Police also did not rule out the possibility of some people or bodies trapped inside the hotel rooms.
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