At least seven persons, including two women, were killed in a fire that broke out at a hotel in Gondia district of Maharashtra in the wee hours on Wednesday, police said.
The blaze erupted at around 3.30 am in a shop on the premises of hotel Bindal, located on the busy Gorelal chowk at a prime location in the city, and soon spread in the building, they said.
Seven persons died in the fire, Inspector General of Police, Gadchiroli Range, S T Bodakhe said.
“Rescue work is underway and the fire brigade team is searching if any person is trapped inside the premises,” a fire officer said.
Fire tenders were called from neighbouring Balaghat, Bhandara, Tumsar, Lanji and also from Adani Power Plant in Tirora to help douse the flames.
There where nearly 15 guests staying in the hotel at the time of the mishap.
One person sustained serious injuries after he jumped from the second floor of the hotel following the fire. He died on way to Nagpur hospital, police said.
Two bodies were charred beyond recognition while four others were found dead in their hotel rooms, they said.
On getting information, District Collector Abhimanyu Kale, Superintendent of Police Dilip Patil Bhujbal rushed to the site and supervised the rescue work.
Police officials had a tough time in controlling the crowd that gathered outside the mishap site after the fire.
The deceased were yet to be identified, police said, adding that two of them had apparently come to attend a marriage function.
Photograph: ANI