A large fire that started in a hotel near Falpatti Machhua in central Kolkata on Tuesday claimed the lives of at least 14 persons and injured another 13, according to a senior police officer. Ten fire engines were sent to the Rituraj Hotel after the incident was initially reported at 7:30 p.m. According to a fire and emergency services official, the fire was contained on Wednesday morning. Happened after almost ten hours of fighting.
At the time of the event, there were 88 visitors in 42 rooms, according to a Kolkata police officer. Among the deceased are a mother, a girl, and a boy. It is still unknown what caused the fire. The place has been roped off and will be inspected by our forensic experts.
Reporters were informed by Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma that a special investigation has also been established to look into the incident. However, the cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
What happened in Kolkata Hotel Fire?
People were seen attempting to escape through the building’s windows and tight ledges in pictures and videos. Manoj Paswas, a hotel employee, died when he leaped from one of the storeys.
When smoke filled the rooms and hallways, a number of guests and hotel employees ascended the stairs and headed to the roof and upper-floor balconies. An official from the fire department informed Hindustan Times, “One of them jumped in panic.”
A few visitors were observed yelling for assistance while leaning out of windows. Before disappearing in the fire, a kid reportedly screamed for his mother. Another man broke his leg when he leaped from the fourth story to get out. Firefighters fought the fire for almost ten hours before putting it out on Wednesday morning, after at least ten fire engines were called into action.
While many people could not be spared, a few were rescued from the upper stories. The tragedy claimed the lives of 14 persons, including 11 men, a woman, a child, and a girl. As according to a senior police officer. Thirteen people were injured, some of them critically, he added.”The structure is now sealed. The officer stated, “It will be thoroughly examined by our forensic team.”
As burned window frames and scorched possessions silently witnessed the tragedy, the streets surrounding Mechhuapatti, a business district with stores and warehouses, remained blocked off on Wednesday morning.
Statements from Higher Authorities
Sukanta Majumdar, a West Bengal BJP president and union minister, called for immediate assistance and more stringent safety regulations. “I implore the state government to ensure the safety of those impacted, rescue them right away. Give them the medical and humanitarian aid they require.” In order to stop similar tragic events in the future, I also call for a comprehensive examination and more stringent oversight of fire safety protocols,” he wrote on X.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent his sympathies and announced that the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund would provide an ex-gratia payment of Rs 50,000 for each injured person and Rs 2 lakh for each deceased individual’s next of kin. In a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office, Modi expressed his deep sadness over the deaths and wished the injured people a quick recovery.
Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, revealed that 14 people had died, and she personally oversaw the rescue and firefighting efforts during the night. A comprehensive inquiry of the incident has been ordered, she said. The Chief Minister promised the impacted families all support. She also underlined that the hotel’s combustible materials contributed to the fire’s quick spread.
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