Kolkata hotel fire kills nine, including 1 child, rescue teams evacuate 80 people; police detain two staffers

At least nine people, including a child, died and six others were injured after a massive fire broke out at a hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street in central Kolkata during the early hours of Wednesday. Police said rescue teams evacuated around 80 people from the building, while two hotel staff members were detained for questioning.

According to officials, several of the victims were Bangladeshi nationals who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment. The fire broke out around 1.45 am, following which multiple fire tenders, police personnel and disaster management teams rushed to the spot.

The blaze was brought under control after a firefighting operation, but officials said the dense smoke inside the building made rescue efforts difficult.

"The dense smoke made it difficult for firefighters to climb the staircase and reach the upper floors. While nine people have died, more deaths are feared," a police officer told PTI.

"Our priority is to rescue those trapped and determine the reasons for the fire. The flames have been doused, and the cooling process is underway," the officer added.

Victims include six men, two women and a child

Officials said the deceased included six men, two women and one child. Six people injured in the incident were shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. Their condition was not immediately known.

Fire Department officials said several people lost consciousness after inhaling smoke and were rescued from the hotel premises.

The West Bengal Fire Department headquarters is located close to the hotel building, allowing emergency teams to reach the site quickly.

Police detain hotel staff, investigation underway

Police have detained two members of the hotel staff as part of the initial investigation. Authorities are examining the circumstances that led to the fire and will inspect the premises to determine whether any safety lapses contributed to the incident.

The cause of the blaze remains unclear.

Visuals from the site showed the hotel located inside an ageing structure on a crowded stretch of central Kolkata. Firefighters completed the cooling operation after extinguishing the flames, while authorities continued their probe into the incident.