Delhi hotel fire: People jumped to save themselves, but fell to their deaths

People jumped from the top floors of the Hotel Arpit Palace in Delhi's Karol Bagh after it caught fire early Tuesday morning, but to their deaths. 

Different news reports on Tuesday said that as many as four people had died after jumping. At least one of the deaths was caught on eyewitness video. 

One news report said two men had jumped. And that officials had identified one of the men as an Indian Revenue Service officer posted in Delhi, and the other as a hotel staffer. 

The eyewitness video showed one of the men jumped from the fifth floor of the hotel building. 

At least 17 people died in the fire which started at around 4.30 am. The fire was finally brought under control by about 7 am after 30 fire tenders were rushed to the spot. News reports said the fire may have been started by a short circuit. 

The five-storey Hotel Arpit Palace, popular with budget travellers, lies on Karol Bagh's Gurudwara Road. 

Other reports said a woman and a child had also jumped, again to their deaths. 

News reports quoted hotel staff as saying there were 150 guests in the hotel when the fire started. 

The news agency ANI quoted a fire official as saying the hotel's corridors were wood-panelled — the hotel was built some 25 years ago — which is why guests were not able to use them to escape. 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visited the site Tuesday and ordered a magisterial enquiry into the fire. 

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia meanwhile called off an event, slated for Tuesday evening, celebrating four years of the AAP government in power.