Hotel building fire in Kolkata kills 9, injures 6
West Bengal will inspect hotel fire safety after initial indications pointed to an electrical short circuit as the cause.
An early-morning fire tore through a five-story building housing several hotels and guesthouses in central Kolkata, West Bengal, India, on Wednesday (19/8), killing at least nine people and injuring six others. Police and local media reported that at least 30 to 80 people were rescued. Among the dead were two women and a 4-year-old child; some of the victims were believed to be Bangladesh nationals in Kolkata for medical treatment. The fire was reported between about 01.45 and 02.50 local time and later brought under control. Koushik Chowdhury said many of the victims likely died from smoke inhalation, while the initial suspected cause was an electrical short circuit. A forensic team is now investigating the exact cause of the fire and whether the building complied with safety rules.