At least 15 people were killed in a fire at a hotel in the Indian city of Kolkata on Tuesday night, April 29, the police said on Wednesday, April 30.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma told AFP that the incident took place around 8:15 pm at Rituraj Hotel. He added that several people were rescued from rooms and the roof of the budget hotel. However, the fire has been brought under control.
Verma told AFP, "The death toll has risen to 15, including two children and a woman," adding, an investigation had been launched to find out what triggered the blaze.
"The hotel turned into a gas chamber, and it appears that many people suffocated to death," he added.
About 88 people were staying at the Rituraj Hotel in central Kolkata's crowded business sector when the fire started. Approximately a dozen individuals are receiving treatment for burn injuries.
Sukanta Majumdar, a state BJP president and union minister, had already called on the state government to save the lives. In order to stop such terrible events from happening again, he had demanded "stricter monitoring" of fire safety precautions.
"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," he said in a post on X.
West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar also slammed the Kolkata Corporation for the incident.
In an interview with ANI, Sarkar said, "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."
