Kolkata Hotel Building Fire Kills Nine, Including Four-Year-Old Child

At least nine people, including a four-year-old child, were killed and six injured after a fire broke out in a five-storey hotel building in Kolkata, India. About 80 people were rescued, while authorities investigate a possible electrical fault and potential safety violations. The tragedy comes days after another hotel fire in West Bengal killed seven people and months after a nightclub fire in Goa claimed 25 lives.

At least nine people have been killed and six others injured after a fire broke out in a five-storey building housing several hotels in Kolkata, India, early Wednesday.
The fire started at around 1:45 a.m. in central Kolkata, near the headquarters of the West Bengal Fire Department.
Police said the victims included two women and a four-year-old child. At least 80 people were reportedly rescued from the building.

VICTIMS TRAPPED BY THICK SMOKE

West Bengal minister Koushik Chowdhury, who visited the scene, said some of the victims were believed to be Bangladeshi nationals.
He said many people may have died from smoke inhalation after becoming trapped on the upper floors. Some rooms reportedly had no windows, making it difficult for occupants to escape the thick smoke.
Firefighters struggled to reach people trapped inside as the blaze filled the building with smoke.
Five fire engines were deployed, while police and disaster management teams assisted with rescue operations. The injured were taken to a nearby hospital.

POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAULT INVESTIGATED

Authorities said the fire had been brought under control and launched an investigation into its cause and whether the building complied with fire safety regulations.
Forensic experts were collecting evidence at the scene.
Chowdhury said a short circuit may have caused the blaze, although officials have yet to establish the definitive cause.
Following the incident, the state government announced plans to conduct fire safety inspections at hotels across West Bengal.

DEADLY HOTEL FIRES RAISE SAFETY CONCERNS

The Kolkata tragedy comes amid a series of deadly fires in Indian hotels and entertainment venues.
On Monday, a hotel fire in the temple town of Tarapith, West Bengal, reportedly killed at least seven people and left several others critically injured.
In December, at least 25 people died after a fire tore through a popular nightclub in Goa. The incident renewed concerns about overcrowding, emergency exits and enforcement of fire safety regulations.
Deadly fires are relatively common in India, with electrical faults, gas-cylinder explosions and inadequate safety measures frequently identified as contributing factors.
The latest Kolkata fire is expected to intensify scrutiny of fire safety standards in hotels and other densely occupied buildings across West Bengal.