JHAPA, DECEMBER 31
The family of Nirakar Pandey, 40, of Jhapa, who died after jumping off the 12th floor of the Grand Diamond City Hotel and Casino in Cambodia when the hotel caught fire last Friday, has complained that he lost his life due to lack of timely rescue.
Pandey, who went to Thailand three months ago on tourist visa, had reached the bordering town of Poipet for sightseeing in Thailand and Cambodia.
The hotel, where he was staying, caught fire on Thursday night around 11:00pm. According to Agni Pandey, father of the deceased, Nirakar was staying in a room on the 12th floor of the hotel when the incident took place.
Nirakar died after jumping off the 12th floor in an attempt to save his life from the inferno.
Nirakar was in touch with his family for hours ever since the hotel caught fire, recalled his father, who is the chairperson of Ward No 1 in Birtamod Municipality.
The Embassy of Nepal in Bangkok, Thailand, has already established the identity of the dead body by sending the photo of the deceased to his family and relatives in Nepal.
Diplomatic efforts are being undertaken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nepali Embassy in Thailand to bring the body to Nepal from Cambodia, informed the bereaved father.
Nirakar, who flew to Thailand on November 7, was planning to return home in a few days, the family sources shared.
He had video-called his family for hours after the fire broke out and said he had to jump off the window to save his life.
The anxious families back home had repeatedly requested him to patiently wait for rescue, narrated Nischal Pandey, younger brother of the deceased. With no sign of rescue at sight, Nirakar lost his life jumping off the 12th floor.
According to the bereaved father, Nirakar had updated them since the fire broke out and clouds of smoke started shrouding the hotel rooms gradually.
The family came to know about Nirakar's death through Nepalis in Cambodia as well the Nepali Embassy in Bangkok.
Nischal expressed his sadness that there was no rescue mechanism in touristic place of Cambodia.
According to him, his brother waited for rescue team for over four hours and jumped off the building after losing hope.
A version of this article appears in the print on January 1, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
