KOLKATA: At least nine people were killed and several others injured in a fire at a hotel in the Indian city of Kolkata on Wednesday, a senior fire department official said.
“Nine people were killed, including a child, in the fire that broke out early on Wednesday,” Anuj Sharma, the fire services director of West Bengal state, told AFP.
Building fires are common in India, with faulty electrical systems, weak safety enforcement and congested urban areas contributing to the risk.
“Thick smoke enveloped the hotel. Some victims were found in the bathrooms.”
Preliminary information suggested an air conditioner in the budget hotel may have exploded and caused the blaze, Sharma said.
He added that nine people, six men, two women and a child, were rescued and taken to hospital.
Bangladeshi Nationals Among Victims
Some victims appeared to be Bangladeshi nationals who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment, Santosh Pathak, a member of West Bengal’s ruling party, said.
“We are trying to confirm the nationality of the victims,” he told reporters.
A total of 60 guests were in the hotel when the fire broke out.
Building fires are common in India, where unsafe wiring, overloaded electrical circuits and poor maintenance can increase the risk of deadly blazes. Buildings with inadequate exits, flammable materials and insufficient fire-safety equipment can allow fires to spread rapidly and make evacuation more difficult.
Safety regulations are also not uniformly enforced across India, while weak inspections and the illegal conversion of residential properties into hotels and other commercial establishments can leave buildings operating without adequate fire protection.
In densely populated Indian cities, narrow roads and encroachments can further hamper emergency response, delaying the arrival of fire services and making rescue operations more difficult.
