For those caught in the fire at Ruby Pride Luxury Hotel, Secunderabad, on Monday night, the torchlight from the mobile phones of police personnel and youngsters involved in rescue operations was literally a ray of hope.
Smoke had engulfed the hotel completely, reducing visibility significantly. Market Police Station constable A.Rakesh recalled that when he made his way to the hotel third floor along with some locals, they switched on their phone torchlights and hollered, asking people trapped inside to spot them through the light. This method proved to be effective in reaching out to the guests struggling to escape.
The youngsters who rescued the hotel’s guests said that with the help of phone torchlight, they could spot a few people who had collapsed on the floor. At least two guests who were on the third floor got out of the window and climbed down the hotel building by holding on to pipes.
