Fire In Kolkata's Six-Story Hotel Claims At Least 15 Lives: Ten Pointers (Photo: screengrab on X@Devesh81403955)

Kolkata, West Bengal: A massive fire broke out in one of Kolkata’s oldest hotels around 7:30 pm on Tuesday. The deadly fire has killed at least 15 people. The incident occurred at the Rituraj Hotel, located on Madanmohan Street in the city’s Burrabazar area.

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1. Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma confirmed a total of 15 casualties, and most people reportedly died from suffocation. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
2. One person, reportedly a staff of the hotel, died after jumping from One person, reportedly a staff of the hotel, died after jumping from the fire-engulfed building in panic, while trying to escape the blaze.
3. Footages from the spot shows people escaping the fire jumping through the windows. The Fire Force and rescue team were seen assisting the victims to escape the blaze.
4. Ten fire engines were dispatched to the site, and the fire was brought under control by around 1 am on Wednesday. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the cause of the fire and to check the safety measures.
5. There were allegations that the guests in the hotel faced difficulties while being evacuated from the building. The opposition Congress and the BJP slammed the Kolkata Corporation and state government for the lack of adequate safety and security measures in place.
6. Union Minister and State BJP President Sukanta Majumdar urged the authorities for a thorough review and stricter monitoring of fire safety measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future. He also demanded the administration to immediately rescue those affected, ensure their safety, and provide them with necessary medical and humanitarian assistance.
7. West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar also slammed the Kolkata Corporation. He said a lot of people were stuck in the building, noting that there was no safety or security. “I don’t know what the corporation is doing,” he said.
8. However, the commissioner has said that the investigation will also look into the difficulties faced by the guests while evacuating from the building.
9. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inquired about the incident over the phone and asked the Kolkata mayor to rush to the spot along with the police commissioner.
10. BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said that several such incidents have happened in Bengal in the past. He alleged that no one takes fire certificate or follows fire safety norms. “There is so much corruption in the government, you pay money and get permission for illegal construction and such incidents occur. It’s sad that so many people have died. The government should be serious over such issues. Mamata Banerjee is thinking that she is unable to run the administration,” news agency PIT quoted the BJP leader.

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