JAIPUR: Four people, including a four-year-old child, were killed after a fire broke out in a hotel in Rajasthan's Ajmer on Thursday.
The fire broke out in hotel 'Naaz' in Diggi Bazaar around 8 a.m.
Four others, including a one-and-a-half-year-old child named Ibrahim, sustained severe burns and are critical.
In a heart-wrenching scene, a woman threw her child from a window to protect the baby from the raging fire.
The child suffered minor burns.
Eyewitness Mangilal Kalosia, who caught the child, said that the fire started with a loud explosion, believed to be in an air conditioner.
"We broke the glass windows from outside. The woman threw her child into my lap from the window, " Kalosia said.
The fire spread swiftly to all five floors of the hotel, which was reportedly housing a large number of pilgrims at the time. In a desperate bid to escape, many guests jumped off windows.
Rescue efforts were severely hampered by the narrow access road leading to the hotel.
Dr. Anil Samaria, Principal of JLN Medical College, confirmed that eight victims were rushed to the hospital.
"Four of them died. Three are critically injured. A child is among the deceased, " he said.
Several firefighters and police personnel also fell ill during the rescue due to smoke inhalation and exhaustion. A female police constable began vomiting near the hotel after her condition deteriorated.
Despite the challenges, the police, civil defence, and fire brigade teams managed to evacuate the remaining hotel guests safely.
Ajmer Collector Lok Bandhu said police and civil defence teams have thoroughly searched the hotel premises.
"No more individuals were found inside. Our focus is now on ensuring the injured receive the best possible medical care, " he added.
DIG Om Prakash confirmed that the entire emergency response team reached the scene promptly.
"Some of our team members became unwell during the operation but are now stable, " he said.
Ward 22 Councillor Bharti Shrivastava noted that most hotel guests were asleep when the fire broke out.
"People were trapped inside, and glass windows had to be broken to rescue them. Local leaders and administration officials arrived soon after and supported rescue efforts, " she added.