At least nine people were killed and several others injured after a massive fire broke out at a hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street in central Kolkata in the early hours of Wednesday, officials said.
The blaze reportedly erupted at around 2 am, triggering a rescue operation as firefighters and emergency personnel rushed to the spot.
Fire breaks out around 2 am
According to fire department sources, the fire started at the hotel in the early hours of Wednesday. Several people were reportedly trapped inside the building as smoke and flames spread.
Rescue and firefighting operations were launched following the incident. The exact cause of the fire has not yet been ascertained.
According to sources cited in the report, the deceased were Bangladeshi citizens who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment.
Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the blaze, including how the fire started and whether adequate fire-safety measures were in place.
Second hotel fire in West Bengal in two days
The Kolkata tragedy comes just two days after another fatal hotel fire in West Bengal.
On Monday, a fire at a hotel in Tarapith in Birbhum district claimed several lives and left others injured. Officials initially said the blaze was allegedly caused by a short circuit.
Birbhum Superintendent of Police Vidit Raj Bhundesh said emergency teams reached the hotel after the fire was reported.
According to his statement, 22 people were rescued using ladders, while 11 others were taken to hospital for treatment.
There were conflicting figures in the initial reports regarding the Tarapith casualties. Officials cited in the report said seven people had died, while another account stated that eight people were rescued but subsequently declared dead.
Hotel operators detained in Tarapith case
Police have taken the operators of the Tarapith hotel into custody after registering an FIR.
They are being questioned as part of the investigation into the fire.
The injured in the Tarapith incident reportedly included people from Meghalaya and Alipurduar, according to officials cited in the report.
With two deadly hotel fires reported in West Bengal within days, questions over fire safety and emergency preparedness at hotels are likely to come under scrutiny.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the Kolkata hotel fire is underway, with the exact cause of the blaze yet to be determined.
