At least nine people, including a child, were killed after a massive fire broke out at a hotel in central Kolkata in the early hours of Wednesday. More than 60 people were rescued from the building following the blaze, which erupted around 2 am at Shikha Inn Hotel on 15H Mirza Ghalib Street.
The deceased include six men, two women and a child, according to Kolkata Police. Their identities were yet to be established.
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Deputy Commissioner of Police (Kolkata Central Division) Praween Prakash confirmed the deaths, saying no other injuries had been reported at the time.
The five-storey hotel came under the jurisdiction of New Market police station. Four fire tenders were deployed after the blaze was reported, and firefighters managed to bring the situation under control after several hours.
Over 60 rescued as guests trapped inside
A fire brigade official said more than 60 people were evacuated safely from the hotel. At least nine others were found unconscious and rushed to hospital for treatment.
The fire was reportedly concentrated around the second floor, although the exact cause of the blaze was yet to be established.
Survivors, meanwhile, raised questions over the hotel’s fire-safety arrangements.
One guest, Amirul Hossain, who had travelled from Tarapith in Birbhum district, said the situation became extremely dangerous as the fire spread. He alleged that the hotel had only a single entry and exit and lacked both a fire alarm and firefighting equipment.
“I came with my friend. It was a very dangerous situation and I really don’t know how we escaped,” Hossain told the media.
A local resident said he reached the spot at around 2:30 am after being alerted about the fire and witnessed firefighters rescuing people from the building, including some who were unconscious.
Questions over hotel safety standards
The incident has brought renewed scrutiny on fire-safety compliance among hotels operating in the central Kolkata area.
Mirza Ghalib Street and nearby Marquis Street and Free School Street have several hotels and accommodation facilities, many of which are frequented by visitors, including foreign tourists.
BJP leader Santosh Pathak alleged that several hotels in the area were operating without proper permissions and firefighting arrangements. He also claimed that authorities had previously been alerted about alleged violations.
Pathak alleged that some buildings had been converted from residential to commercial use and claimed that illegal constructions were also present in the area.
The allegations are expected to bring greater attention to the safety clearances, emergency exits and firefighting systems of hotels in the locality.
Second deadly hotel fire in Bengal in three days
The Kolkata tragedy comes just two days after another fatal hotel fire in Tarapith, a prominent temple town in West Bengal’s Birbhum district.
That blaze claimed the lives of nine people, including two children. Five of the victims were from Meghalaya, while four were from West Bengal.
Two people have been arrested in connection with the Tarapith incident. Officials had suspected that a short circuit may have triggered the fire.
The back-to-back incidents have raised concerns over fire-safety preparedness in hotels and other accommodation facilities across the state.
(Inputs from Hindustan Times)
Edited by: Moonmoon Borah
