At least 14 people, including two children and one woman, tragically lost their lives in a devastating fire that broke out at the Rituraj Hotel in central Kolkata on Tuesday evening, according to police reports.
The fire started around 7:30 PM and quickly spread throughout the hotel, filling the building with thick smoke.
Initial reports indicate that most victims succumbed to suffocation, with one individual falling from the building while attempting to escape the flames.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma confirmed the death toll, stating that fire services brought the blaze under control by 1 AM on Wednesday after deploying ten fire engines to the site.
“As of now, 14 casualties have been reported,” Verma said in a press briefing. He also announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the cause of the fire and assess the hotel’s safety measures.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire trapped many of the victims inside their rooms.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that the rapid spread of the fire and thick smoke left many unable to escape in time.
The Rituraj Hotel, which consists of five floors of accommodation above a commercial storage facility, built in a densely populated area on Madan Mohan Burman Street.
Firefighters were able to evacuate several people from the building, but unfortunately, the flames and smoke caused significant loss of life.
In response to the tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow and announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased, and Rs 50,000 for those injured in the incident.
The Prime Minister’s Office announced in a social media post, “Anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire mishap in Kolkata. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon.”
“An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000,” the post further added.
The devastating incident prompted reactions from several political leaders, including Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar, who called on the state government to act swiftly in providing relief to the victims and their families.
He urged the authorities to review and strengthen fire safety measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
“I urge the state administration to immediately rescue those affected, ensure their safety, and provide them with necessary medical and humanitarian assistance. Additionally, I appeal for a thorough review and stricter monitoring of fire safety measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future,” Majumdar noted.
BJP leader Dilip Ghosh attributed the fire to illegal construction and government negligence, claiming that such incidents were a result of corrupt practices allowing unsafe building projects to continue.
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Ghosh told IANS, “There is a lot of illegal construction everywhere. There is a market everywhere you see. The government is corrupt and hence permits illegal construction. This incident is unfortunate and the government should make safety requirements for it.”
While West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was attending the inauguration of a Lord Jagannath Temple in Digha, the incident has sparked criticism regarding her handling of the situation.
Sukanta Majumdar accused Banerjee of failing to address the tragedy in a timely manner, instead focusing on political events.
“While innocent people are burning and dying, the Chief Minister is busy exploiting religion for political gain,” Majumdar stated.
As the investigation continues, the state government has pledged full support for the families affected by the fire, with further details expected from the ongoing SIT inquiry.
The incident has raised questions about building safety, fire protocols, and government oversight in the state.
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