7 Students Jump from Roof, Hospitalized

In Rajasthan’s Kota, a dramatic scenario unfolded on Sunday morning as seven students sustained injuries after leaping from a rooftop when a blaze erupted in their hostel, fire officials reported.

Initial inquiries have suggested that the conflagration stemmed from an electrical short circuit. The event has prompted scrutiny of the safety protocols in hostels throughout Kota.

The blaze ignited on the ground floor of the hostel located in Laxman Vihar under the jurisdiction of Kunhadi police station in the city, swiftly engulfing the entire edifice in dense smoke. At the time, the hostel housed 60 students across 61 rooms, most of whom were asleep.

The students, seized by panic, attempted to flee the building, with some opting to leap from the rooftop to escape.

Upon receiving information, district collector Ravindra Goswami, deputy superintendent of police Rajesh Soni, Kunhadi police station inspector Arvind Bhardwaj, and several police personnel promptly arrived at the scene.

Rakesh Vyas, the chief fire officer of the Municipal Corporation’s fire department, disclosed that Adarsh Residency G Plus Hostel in Laxman Vihar is owned by Naresh Dhakad.

“The fire originated from a short circuit in the transformer and electric panels on the ground floor around 6:15 a.m. We were alerted at 6:30 a.m., and our team arrived at the location within 15 minutes,” Vyas stated.

Four fire tenders were dispatched to combat the flames. Rescuing students from the structure posed a formidable challenge for the firefighters due to the inferno consuming the ground floor. As such, students were extricated using a ladder. Vyas confirmed that after evacuating all students from the building, efforts were made to extinguish the blaze. Ultimately, the fire was subdued around 7:45 p.m., he added.

“The hostel lacks the mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the fire department and has been served two notices in the past. A report will be submitted to higher authorities regarding the matter,” he mentioned.

The seven students who suffered injuries in the incident are currently receiving medical attention at the hospital.