At least 14 people were killed in a fire at a hotel in central Calcutta on Tuesday night, a senior police officer said.
The fire erupted at Rituraj Hotel in Jorasanko’s Mechua area around 8.15pm on Tuesday.
"Fourteen bodies have been recovered and several people have been rescued by the teams," Kolkata police commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma told reporters.
"The fire is under control and rescue is underway. A special team has been formed for further investigation," he said.
Many were suspected to be trapped inside the hotel till late on Tuesday. At least one person died when he jumped off the terrace trying to escape the fire.
The sight of people jumping from the building’s third-floor cornice to save themselves from the fire inside brought back memories of Stephen Court 15 years ago. Many had been trapped inside the building had jumped onto Park Street but died from injuries suffered in the fall.
The sight of people jumping from the building’s third-floor cornice to save themselves from the fire inside brought back memories of Stephen Court 15 years ago Photo: PURBADRI DAS
Ten fire tenders were pressed into action to douse the fire at the Mechua hotel.
Fire officials and the police used loud hailers to request people not to panic and jump from the building.
Union minister and state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar wrote in a post on X: "I urge the state administration to immediately rescue those affected, ensure their safety, and provide them with necessary medical and humanitarian assistance. Additionally, I appeal for a thorough review and stricter monitoring of fire safety measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future," Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar told ANI: "This is a tragic incident. A fire broke out...A lot of people are still stuck in the building. There was no safety or security...I don't know what the corporation is doing,"