6 killed in fire at hotel near Patna Railway station, rescue efforts underway

At least six people were killed in a fire that broke out in a hotel close to the Patna junction railway station on Thursday, a senior official said. More than 20 people were brought to safety as rescue operations continued.

Shobha Ohatkar, DG, Home Guard and Fire Services, who had rushed to the spot, told reporters, "We have done a fire audit of more than 16,000 hotels and it is still underway. They are given specific instructions in the fire audit. Some follow and others tend not to follow the instructions.. this is due to negligence. Prima facie, it appears fire broke due to a cylinder blast."

"We have brought the blaze, about which information was received around 11 am, under control. The exact cause will be ascertained through a proper investigation, and appropriate action will follow".