A Bangladeshi national named Amreen was in New Delhi to care for a relative undergoing treatment at Max Hospital in Saket. However, on Wednesday, she found herself being stretchered from one hospital to another after being injured in a hotel fire.
Amreen was among the injured who were discharged after receiving initial treatment at Safdarjung Hospital. Instead of heading home, she was shifted to Max Hospital at her family's request so she could be near the relative she was assisting.
Like many others caught in the blaze, Amreen had been staying at the hotel while helping her relative, who was undergoing a liver transplant. However, instead of spending the day monitoring his recovery, she was rushed to the hospital after flames engulfed the building.
When a reporter caught up with her, her legs were wrapped in thick bandages. Beside her was Saheedul, another relative who was also injured in the fire. Just hours earlier, neither could have imagined they would find themselves in this situation.
“I am their interpreter and guide,” said a man accompanying the family. “They were inside the hotel when the fire broke out. They were rescued and rushed to Safdarjung Hospital. The doctors said they are stable, but we are now taking them to Max Hospital because their relative is admitted there,” the man explained.
By noon, the scene at AIIMS Trauma Centre was far from routine. Corridors were lined with uniformed personnel. Police officers stood at the entrances and inside the facility, while firefighters moved in and out. Every visitor was stopped for verification before being allowed inside.
A few family members of the victims were seen waiting outside, while some arrived throughout the day seeking updates about relatives they had lost, particularly those who had been taken to the mortuary. Inside the hospital, conversations frequently returned to the rescue operation.
Rajiv, whose relative was admitted to AIIMS for an unrelated reason, recalled hearing announcements asking people to make space for the victims of the fire. “As soon as they were wheeled in, they were segregated. But in the ward, most of the injured I saw were policemen who gave their all to rescue people trapped in the blaze,” he said.
Until evening, corridors at AIIMS continued to be lined with police officers, some coordinating relief efforts and others receiving treatment.
