Early-morning blaze at budget hotels kills nine, dozens rescued
A fire that tore through a five-storey building housing several budget hotels on Mirza Ghalib Street in central Kolkata in the early hours of Wednesday has left nine people dead, including a four-year-old child, and six others injured, police and state officials said. About 80 people were rescued from the smoke-filled structure, and the city administration launched a criminal probe into alleged safety violations.
Firefighters were alerted at around 1.45 am and pressed five fire tenders into service to extinguish the blaze and carry out rescue operations. Officials said dense smoke hampered efforts to reach upper floors initially, and teams had to work to cool the building before full entry could be made.
"The situation inside this building is very bad. There are several hotels inside this building. I am shocked to see what was going on here," West Bengal Fire Department Minister Kaushik Chowdhury said after visiting the site.
Mr Chowdhury said the identities of those killed were yet to be established and confirmed that the deceased included both Indian and Bangladeshi nationals. He said a forensic examination would be necessary to determine the precise cause of the blaze, but a short circuit remained a preliminary possibility.
Police at the New Market police station have registered a case and said investigations would focus on whether the building management complied with fire-safety and construction norms. Authorities alleged several irregularities in the functioning of the hotels within the building and said the building owner was absconding. Raids were being conducted at the owner's residence as the search continued.
- Fatalities: 9 (including a four-year-old)
- Injured: 6
- Rescued: ~80 people
- Response: 5 fire tenders deployed; police and Disaster Management teams on site
Rescued individuals and the injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, police said. A senior officer told PTI that while the flames had been doused, the structure remained very hot and the cooling process was underway. Officials warned that more deaths could emerge until authorities completed searches of all rooms and attics.
Mirza Ghalib Street lies close to several commercial thoroughfares and markets in central Kolkata, an area of dense, older buildings that often house small hotels and boarding houses catering to low-cost travellers and migrant workers. Fire safety activists and civic officials have repeatedly raised concerns about compliance with norms in such properties, particularly narrow staircases, blocked exits and faulty wiring.
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Time fire reported | ~1.45 am |
| Number of floors | Five |
| Fire tenders | 5 |
| People rescued | ~80 |
| Deaths | 9 |
| Injured | 6 |
Police said their priority was to locate anyone still trapped, secure the scene and gather evidence to determine the circumstances that led to the blaze. The New Market police station has opened an inquiry into potential violations of safety regulations and building codes. If negligence is established, the probe could lead to criminal charges against the management or owner.
Local residents and shopkeepers described a chaotic night as firefighters and rescue teams worked to evacuate occupants. The incident has renewed calls from civic groups for stricter enforcement of fire clearances and regular inspections of hotels and lodges in old central-city neighbourhoods.
Officials stressed that conclusive findings on the cause of the fire would await a forensic examination. Meanwhile, the administration is coordinating with hospital teams to identify the dead and inform families, and with immigration authorities to establish the nationality of victims who may be foreign nationals.
The investigation is continuing and further updates are expected as rescue teams finish searches and forensic experts complete their on-site work.
