Bangladeshis among 9 killed in Kolkata hotel fire

At least nine people, including some Bangladeshis, were killed and six injured today in a dingy five-storey building on Mirza Ghalib Street in central Kolkata that housed several hotels, police said.

Fire Department Minister Kaushik Chowdhury told reporters that the identities of those killed are yet to be established. The deceased include both Indians and Bangladeshi nationals, he said after visiting the site.

"We are trying to establish their identities. The situation inside this building is very bad. There are several hotels inside this building. I am shocked to see what was going on here," Chowdhury said.

Budget hotels in Mirza Ghalib Street are popular with tourists from Bangladesh.

Five fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the blaze that erupted around 1.45 am. Police and Disaster Management Department personnel reached the spot for the rescue operation.

According to a senior official, 80 people have been rescued from the five-storey building.

Asked about the cause of the fire, the minister said that it could be because of a short circuit. "But a forensic examination would reveal what led to the blaze," he said.

"The building management did not comply with basic safety and construction norms. It is alleged that there were several irregularities in the functioning of the hotel," the minister added.

The injured have been taken to a nearby hospital.

"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 said.

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

Another police officer said the building owner is currently absconding.

"A case is being registered at the New Market police station, with police initiating proceedings against the owner," he said, adding that police have begun raids at the owner's residence as part of efforts to trace him.

An investigation is underway to determine the circumstances that led to the fire and whether safety regulations were violated.