Nine people were killed and six others injured after a massive fire broke out at a hotel in Kolkata in the early hours of Wednesday, officials said. Fire Department officials told news agency ANI that all nine victims were Bangladeshi nationals who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment.
The blaze broke out at the hotel during the early morning hours, following which fire and emergency teams rushed to the spot. Firefighters launched a rescue operation and worked to bring the flames under control.
Six people were injured in the incident and were taken for medical treatment. Further details about the fire and the circumstances leading to the deaths are awaited.
AC Blast Suspected
Preliminary information indicates that the blaze may have been caused by an air-conditioner explosion, although the exact reason behind the fire has not yet been established.
The fire broke out at a hotel on Free School Street near New Market, a busy and densely populated part of Kolkata.
The incident occurred just two days after another fatal hotel fire in West Bengal's Birbhum district. At least eight people were killed and several others injured after a blaze broke out at Hotel Bideshini in Tarapith in the early hours of August 17.
The fire reportedly started around 4:30 am on the ground floor of the five-storey hotel, when most of the guests were asleep. The hotel is situated next to the holy pond near the Tarapith temple.