Fire in Agra hotel, tourists escape

Agra, Aug 10 (IANS) A hotel in the heart of the Taj city was devastated by a fire on Wednesday morning but all tourists, foreigners included, were evacuated safely, authorities said.

A dozen fire tenders battled the flames at Hotel Jigyasa Palace, close to the Agra Fort. It is located three kilometres from the Taj Mahal.

A local resident, Siraj Qureshi, feared that the fire broke out in a shoe godown and soon engulfed the building.

"I was the first one to notice the fire and I alerted the police and fire brigade," Qureshi told IANS.