- Nine people, including a child, were killed in the early-morning hotel fire.
- Six men, two women and a child were rescued and taken to hospital.
- Authorities are investigating a suspected air conditioner explosion as the possible cause.
At least nine people, including a child, have been killed after a fire broke out at a hotel in Kolkata, India, early Wednesday morning.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the fire, which occurred at a budget hotel in the eastern Indian city, also left several people injured, according to the director of West Bengal Fire Services, Anuj Sharma.
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“Nine people were killed, including a child, in the fire that broke out early on Wednesday,” Sharma told AFP.
He said thick smoke quickly engulfed the hotel, making it difficult for occupants to escape.
“Some victims were found in the bathrooms,” the fire services chief added.
Preliminary investigations indicated that an air conditioner at the hotel may have exploded before the fire spread, although authorities have yet to establish the definitive cause of the incident.
Firefighters and emergency responders rescued nine people from the building. The survivors, comprising six men, two women and a child, were taken to hospital for treatment.
A total of about 60 guests were reportedly staying at the hotel when the fire started.
There were also indications that some of those who died may have been Bangladeshi nationals who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment.
Santosh Pathak, a member of West Bengal’s ruling party, said authorities were working to establish the identities and nationalities of the victims.
“We are trying to confirm the nationality of the victims,” Pathak told reporters.
The incident has once again raised concerns about fire safety in Indian buildings, particularly older and budget properties where safety measures may not always meet required standards.
Building fires are relatively common in India, with inadequate firefighting equipment and alleged non-compliance with safety regulations often contributing to the severity of such incidents.
Authorities are expected to investigate the hotel’s fire safety measures and determine what triggered the blaze.
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