Eight people were killed after a devastating fire broke out at a hotel in Tarapith, a popular temple town in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, during the early hours of Monday. Five of those who died were tourists from Meghalaya, while the remaining three victims were from Alipurduar in West Bengal, according to police.
Birbhum Superintendent of Police Vidit Raj Bhundesh said a total of 43 people were rescued from the hotel after the blaze erupted. One other person remains hospitalised and is receiving medical treatment.
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The fire reportedly started around 4 am near the hotel reception when most of the guests were asleep. The flames and thick smoke quickly spread through the building, leaving several guests trapped inside their rooms. Videos circulating on social media appeared to show heavy black smoke pouring from the hotel windows, although the authenticity of the footage could not be independently confirmed.
Preliminary findings have raised serious concerns over the hotel’s emergency arrangements. Police said the main entrance became inaccessible because the fire had started in the reception area. At the same time, the emergency exit at the rear of the building was reportedly locked, while access to the terrace was blocked by plywood. With the escape routes unavailable and keys reportedly inaccessible, several guests were unable to leave the building safely.
SP Bhundesh said the locked emergency exit and blocked terrace door may have significantly worsened the situation by preventing people from escaping and allowing smoke to remain trapped inside the premises.
A survivor, Tapanjyoti Mondal, described the terrifying experience of being trapped inside the hotel with his family. He said he and his relatives took shelter inside a bathroom as smoke spread through the building. They opened the windows and used the shower in an attempt to cope with the intense heat and smoke before police eventually rescued them.
Mondal had travelled to Tarapith with his wife, mother, two children and sisters. The incident has raised questions about fire safety measures, emergency exits and evacuation preparedness at hotels in tourist destinations.
Police are continuing their investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire and establish whether safety regulations were violated. The deaths of five Meghalaya tourists have also cast a pall of grief over their home state as authorities work to establish further details about the victims and the circumstances of the tragedy.
