A fire broke out early Wednesday at the Shikha Inn hotel in Kolkata, India, killing nine people, including five Bangladeshi nationals who were visiting the city for medical treatment. The blaze occurred around 1:45 a.m. in the five-story building, which houses several budget hotels in a busy part of Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal state.
West Bengal’s fire services director, Anuj Sharma, said the fire produced thick smoke that engulfed the hotel, complicating rescue efforts. Several victims were found trapped in bathrooms, and many died from smoke inhalation. Among the dead were two women and a four-year-old child. Officials and police deployed five fire engines to bring the blaze under control and conducted rescue operations that saved at least 80 guests from the building, many of whom were able to escape. Six people sustained injuries and were hospitalized.
Preliminary investigations indicated that an air conditioner unit inside the hotel may have exploded, sparking the fire. Police and forensic experts launched an inquiry into the exact cause and whether safety regulations had been followed, as initial reports suggested the hotel lacked adequate fire safety measures. A guest from Bangladesh described waking up struggling to breathe amid thick smoke, noting the absence of fire safety systems at the hotel. Rescue teams used ladders and entered through windows to reach people trapped on the upper floors, as stairwells were engulfed in smoke.
The incident occurred just two days after a similar fire at a hotel in Tarapith, a holy town in West Bengal, where eight people died during the sacred month of Shravan. This raised concerns about fire safety enforcement across the state, prompting the government to announce statewide inspections of hotels.
Bangladesh’s deputy high commission in Kolkata confirmed that five Bangladeshis perished in the fire, four from the same family. Santosh Pathak, a member of West Bengal’s ruling party, said that many of the Bangladeshi nationals traveled to Kolkata specifically for affordable medical treatment. Kolkata is a frequent destination for hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis seeking healthcare, due to its proximity to Dhaka.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and pledged government assistance for those affected. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced a five-member team was assigned to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the tragedy. Fire and state officials stated that the investigation would look into potential safety lapses given the frequency of such incidents in the region and the known challenges with fire safety enforcement.
Authorities continue their efforts to assist survivors and identify all victims, while also emphasizing the urgent need for stricter adherence to fire safety codes in hotels and other public accommodations in West Bengal.