Kolkata: At least nine people, including a child, were killed in a massive fire that broke out in a hotel in West Bengal’s capital Kolkata on Wednesday morning.
The fire broke out at around 2 am, trapping several guests inside the building. A massive rescue operation was immediately launched.
According to the fire department, all nine people who died in the fire were Bangladeshi nationals who had come to Kolkata for medical treatment, news agency ANI reported.
Initial reports suggest that the fire may have started due to an explosion in an air conditioning (AC) unit. However, the exact cause of the fire is yet to be confirmed.
A fire broke out at a hotel on Free School Street near New Market, one of the busiest areas of the city. Four fire engines rushed to the spot as soon as the information was received. The disaster management team also reached the spot and joined the rescue operation.
Firefighters worked to bring out those trapped inside the building. The fire was later brought under control.
Dense smoke made it difficult for firefighters to reach the upper floors through the stairs. Nine people have died and the death toll is expected to rise, a police officer told the news agency.
Our priority is to rescue those trapped and find out the cause of the fire. The fire has been extinguished and cooling operations are currently underway.
The fire incident in the Kolkata hotel comes just two days before a major fire broke out at another hotel in West Bengal’s Birbhum district. A fire broke out at Hotel Bideshini in Tarapeeth in the early hours of August 17, killing at least eight people and injuring several others.
The fire broke out on the ground floor of the five-storey hotel at around 4.30 am. Most of the guests were sleeping at the time. The hotel is located next to a sacred pond near the Tarapeeth temple.
Five members of a family from Meghalaya, including two children, died in the fire. The family was staying on the top floor of the hotel. When they tried to escape with their children after learning about the fire, they got caught in the flames while trying to get down.
The injured were rescued and admitted to the Rampurhat Government Medical College and Hospital for treatment.