No words to express: Grief, anger grip Gurugram as family killed in Delhi hotel fire
The bodies of Vivek Aggarwal and seven relatives killed in the Malviya Nagar hotel fire were brought to their Gurugram residence on Thursday.
As the bodies of Chartered Accountant Vivek Aggarwal, his wife, two daughters, mother and other relatives, who were killed in the South Delhi hotel fire, were brought to their residence in Gurugram, grief and anger gripped family members, friends and neighbours alike.
Neighbours, relatives and friends gathered outside the Aggarwal family home as ambulances carrying the bodies arrived from Delhi after post-mortem formalities. The tragedy has left the entire locality in shock, with residents mourning the loss of an entire family in a single incident.
Forty eight-year-old Vivek Aggarwal, his wife Tarjni Aggarwal, daughters Jivisha alias Angel and Varya alias Pearl, along with Vivek’s mother and three other relatives from the extended family, were killed in the fire at Flourish Stay B&B in Malviya Nagar, which claimed 21 lives. The family had travelled to Delhi to visit Vivek’s elderly father, Radheshayam Aggarwal, who was undergoing treatment for a lung ailment.
"Vivek was a pure-hearted man. We used to go for morning walks and cycling together almost every day. He had gone to Delhi to take care of his ailing father admitted to a hospital there. During that stay, this horrific tragedy happened. The entire family was wiped out in a single moment. We have no words to express this grief," Vivek Aggarwal’s close friend and neighbour, who coincidentally shares the same name, said.
Recalling their friendship, he described Vivek as a deeply caring family man who was respected by everyone in the neighbourhood.
"He respected everyone and loved his family immensely. He and Tarjni shared a beautiful bond, and both daughters were raised with immense love. Nobody can believe they are gone," he added.
The tragedy has triggered widespread anger among residents, many of whom accused authorities of repeatedly failing to enforce fire safety norms despite recurring incidents in the national capital.
According to relatives, Vivek had spoken to family members shortly before the situation inside the hotel turned critical. Mahender Garg, Vivek's cousin, said he received a frantic call from him minutes before the blaze became uncontrollable.
"He called me saying, 'I am trapped in the basement. Please send the fire brigade quickly and get me out.' After that, we could not reach him again," Garg told news agency PTI.
The family had checked into the hotel because of its proximity to the hospital where Vivek's father was admitted. Three additional relatives from Tarjni Aggarwal's maternal side had also come to Delhi to visit the ailing patriarch and were staying with the family when the fire broke out.
"In just a few hours, everything changed. An entire branch of the family is gone," a relative said.
Officials said the blaze erupted on Wednesday morning and spread rapidly through the narrow five-storey building. Preliminary investigations have pointed to serious fire safety violations, including inadequate escape routes, permanently sealed windows, a single staircase and allegations that the hotel was operating beyond its permitted capacity.
Investigators are also examining whether unauthorised commercial activities within the building contributed to the scale of the tragedy. Authorities suspect the hotel was operating 25 rooms despite approval for only six under the bed-and-breakfast policy.
The fire claimed 21 lives, including nine Indians and 12 foreign nationals, while at least 58 people were rescued from the building. Officials said many victims succumbed to burns and suffocation after getting trapped inside what residents described as a "death trap".