Our Bureau
Kolkata
At least nine people, including five Bangladeshi nationals, were killed after a fire broke out at a hotel in central Kolkata early Wednesday, officials said. Six others were injured in the incident and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The fire broke out at around 2 a.m. in a multi-storey building on Mirza Ghalib Street near the New Market area. The building housed several small hotels with cramped rooms. Five fire tenders were deployed to bring the blaze under control, while police and disaster-management personnel conducted rescue operations.
Around 80 people were reportedly rescued from the building. Several occupants were trapped as smoke spread through the premises, with officials indicating that smoke inhalation may have contributed to some of the deaths.
The deaths of five Bangladeshi nationals were confirmed by Bangladesh’s foreign ministry. Reports said some of the Bangladeshi victims had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment. Four of those killed were reportedly members of the same family from Bangladesh.
Authorities have begun investigating the cause of the fire and examining whether adequate safety measures were in place at the building. Initial reports have raised the possibility of an electrical fault, while the cramped structure, limited ventilation and narrow exits may have made evacuation more difficult.
The incident has renewed concerns over fire-safety compliance in Kolkata’s densely built areas. The tragedy comes amid a series of recent deadly fires in the city, prompting renewed scrutiny of building safety, emergency exits and enforcement of fire regulations.