Hotel fire in Kolkata kills 9, injures several
Indian police officials have said that at least nine people, including a child, were killed and several others injured in a fire at a hotel in the eastern city of Kolkata.
According to a senior police official, the fire broke out on the hotel’s second floor at around 2:50 a.m. local time and was brought under control in less than an hour. At the same time, about 30 people were safely evacuated from the building.
Police said the incident may have been caused by an electrical short circuit, but the exact cause is still unclear and investigations are continuing. Local media also reported that at least six people were injured and taken to hospitals for treatment.
India’s ANI news agency reported, citing the fire department, that some of the victims were Bangladeshi nationals who had travelled to Kolkata for treatment. However, a senior police official told Reuters that the nationalities of the victims have not yet been confirmed.
The hotel is located in a busy area in central Kolkata and offers low-cost accommodation and a restaurant, a factor that may have affected the number of people present at the time of the incident.
