Woman who came to tend to kin ends up in same hosp

New Delhi: Amreen, a Bangladeshi national, was in Delhi to tend to a relative undergoing treatment at Max Hospital, Saket. On Wednesday, however, she was the one who was stretchered from one hospital to another.

Amreen was among the injured who were discharged after initial treatment at Safdarjung Hospital, though she was not headed home. At her family’s request, she was shifted to Max Hospital so that she could be near the relative.

Like many others caught in the blaze, Amreen was staying at the hotel while assisting the relative undergoing treatment for liver transplant. However, instead of spending the day checking on his recovery, she was among those rushed to hospital after flames engulfed the building.

When TOI caught up with her, her legs were wrapped in thick bandages. Beside her was Saheedul, another relative who was also injured in the blaze. Just hours earlier, neither could imagine 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 said.

By noon, the scene at AIIMS Trauma Centre was far from routine. Corridors were lined with uniformed personnel. Cops stood at the entrances and inside the facility, 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 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 cops, some coordinating relief efforts and others receiving treatment.