A heartbreaking chapter from Delhi has ended in unimaginable loss. What began as a family visit to support a critically ill relative has now turned into a tragedy that has erased almost an entire branch of the Aggarwal family.
After losing eight members in a devastating hotel fire in Malviya Nagar last week, the family’s only surviving member, 75-year-old Radhe Shyam Aggarwal, also died on Tuesday, reports TOI's Lairenlakpam Warli. With his death, there are no surviving members left from the immediate family. He did not know that his wife, son, daughter-in-law, two granddaughters, and three members of his extended family, had perished in the fire at Flourish Stays B&B on June 3.
A Family Visit That Turned Into Disaster
The Aggarwal family had gathered in Delhi to be close to their elder relative, who was undergoing treatment for a lung infection at Max Super Speciality Hospital Saket, reports Times of India.
In order to keep a check on him, several relatives checked into a hotel close to the hospital. But the ill-fated hotel stay ended in tragedy when a massive fire broke out, engulfing the premises and killing multiple family members. What was meant to be a supportive family reunion quickly turned into a deadly incident that wiped out nearly the entire family group.
Who Were the Victims?
Among those who lost their lives were:
Radheshyam Aggarwal’s wife Premlata (70)
Son Vivek (47), CFO at a private insurtech company
Daughter-in-law Tarjani (42), working in event management
Granddaughter Varya, known as Pearl (16), Class 12 student
Elder granddaughter Jivisha, known as Angel (20), a BTech student who had just arrived from Bengaluru
Also killed were Premlata’s sister Kamla (52), brother Ashok (56), and brother-in-law Jhaveri from Rajasthan’s Ajmer district. Family members said the three had planned to leave earlier but extended their stay to spend more time together.
Death Toll Climbs to 22
Officials confirmed that the death toll in the Malviya Nagar hotel fire has now risen to 22 after a foreign national from Nigeria died while undergoing treatment on Sunday. The incident took place on June 3 at Flourish Inn Hotel, where the fire quickly spread through the building, trapping guests inside.
Safety Lapses Under Scanner
Initial investigations have revealed serious safety violations at the hotel property. Authorities flagged multiple lapses, including:
- Illegal construction inside the building
- A locked terrace, blocking emergency escape routes
- No functional fire safety systems
- Only a single entry and exit point
- Absence of basic firefighting arrangements
- Missing smoke detectors and automatic fire alarms
- No sprinkler system installed
- No Fire Safety NOC issued
Officials also noted that the building, licensed as a six-room bed and breakfast, was reportedly operating far beyond its permitted capacity with around 25 rooms.
A Tragedy That Raised Serious Questions
The scale of the disaster has left families, neighbours, and the wider community shaken. What stands out most in this case is how quickly an ordinary hotel stay turned fatal due to alleged negligence and missing safety infrastructure.
For the Aggarwal family, the loss is total. For authorities, it is now a case under scrutiny for regulatory failure and safety oversight.
As investigations continue, the Delhi fire tragedy has become yet another grim reminder of how ignored safety norms can lead to irreversible loss of life in a matter of minutes.
(With TOI inputs)
