Revenue circle officer dies in fire at Anantara hotel in Bazargaon near Nagpur

Nagpur: A fire broke out at the well-known Anantara hotel in Bazargaon, on the Nagpur-Amravati National Highway 53, on Thursday night, spreading panic across the area. The flames quickly engulfed the whole hotel and a thick plume of smoke rose into the sky. Manoj Bande, a circle officer of the revenue department, who lived in Anjangaon Surji in Amravati district, was burnt to death in the fire.

According to eyewitnesses, the fire erupted suddenly at the hotel on Thursday, November 12, between about 7.30 pm and 7.45 pm. It spread so fast that nobody had a chance to react. Vehicles on the highway came to a halt and chaos broke out all around. A short circuit is initially believed to be the cause, but serious questions are also being raised about disregard of safety norms and possible negligence at the hotel.

Kondhali police and the fire department were alerted immediately. The situation was so out of control that four fire engines, along with Solar Explosives, water tankers from Bazargaon and the fire brigade of the Kondhali Nagar Panchayat, had to be deployed. The fire was brought under control only after hours of effort, but by then a large part of the hotel had been reduced to ashes.

News of the death of Bande has sent a wave of grief through the revenue department and his home area of Anjangaon Surji. Kondhali police and teams from the departments concerned are currently carrying out a panchnama at the spot. Whether the fire was caused only by a short circuit or by a major lapse on the part of the hotel management will be known only after the inquiry report comes in.