The developments came as law-enforcement sources said hotel staffers failed to alert cops to the incident for up to three hours -- as Strauss-Kahn fled his room.

Hotel video cameras show the maid running from his room after the alleged attack, which occurred after noon, and into the maid service area on the floor, one source said. There, she called her boss, who arrived 10 to 15 minutes later, and then called another supervisor.

It took 10 to 15 minutes more for that boss to arrive, the source said. Hotel security was then called. About 10 to 15 minutes later, another security worker arrived and called his boss. Meanwhile, Strauss-Kahn apparently fled his room even before the first boss even arrived. It's not clear when cops were finally called. One source said it was after about 3:30 p.m., when Strauss-Kahn called the hotel looking for his cellphone; another said around 2:30 p.m. He was nabbed on a plane just about to depart JFK Airport for France at 4:40 p.m.