MANALI: In a catastrophic blaze on Friday evening, 50-room Sandhya Hotel in Rangdi, just below Manali town, was destroyed.

 The fire, which started around 6 PM on the top floor, swiftly spread downward, consuming the iconic wooden structure in under an hour.

Fire tenders rushed to the scene and are still working to ensure the flames do not spread to nearby houses.  The blaze was so massive that it brightened up the entire town.  

While the outreach of the fire remains under control, there is no clarity on the number of guests present in the hotel when the fire broke out.

Locals, however, believe that the timing might have saved lives, as most tourists are usually out exploring the Mall Road and other attractions at that hour.

The hotel, predominantly constructed from Deodar wood and coated with varnish and polish, proved to be highly flammable.

The wooden interiors caught fire rapidly, leaving little chance for the fire brigade to contain the inferno. 

Additionally, the hotel’s location on the narrow access road in Rangdi posed a significant challenge for fire tenders to operate effectively.

Despite their efforts, the fire brigade could not prevent the inevitable.

Within minutes, the flames reduced the once-proud structure to ashes, leaving only charred remains. Hotek belongs to a local businessman from Kullu, who also run other chain of hotel.  Nobody knows the cause of fire as police is investigating the matter. 

The Police and local authorities are now investigating the cause of the fire, while locals express their sorrow over the loss of the historic hotel that had been a part of Manali’s charm.

No casualties have been reported so far, but the exact situation regarding the guests’ safety remains unclear.

This tragedy is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of traditional wooden structures to fire hazards and the challenges of fire management in hilly terrains like Manali.