Kolkata hotel fire kills 14; West Bengal CM Mamata orders probe into safety lapses

A devastating fire that swept thru a funds resort in the congested Burrabazar home in central Kolkata claimed 14 lives and left 13 others injured, triggering a political blame sport, moreover calling for accountability over lax fire security norms.

The blaze broke out around 8:10 PM on Tuesday in the six-storey Rituraj Hotel in Mecchua, housing 88 company across 42 rooms. Internal minutes, flames and thick smoke engulfed the constructing, trapping a lot of people, lots of whom occupy been asleep or had staunch returned.

“Most of of us that died occupy been trapped interior and may now no longer obtain away the thick smoke,” a fire division officer acknowledged, adding that nearly the total victims succumbed to suffocation. A couple of reportedly jumped from upper floors in a desperate bid to acquire away.

The deceased incorporated 11 men, one girl, and two younger people. Amongst them occupy been a male toddler outmoded 3 years and a 10-year-outmoded girl, each from Tamil Nadu. Kolkata Police acknowledged 9 of the 14 victims had been acknowledged till Wednesday evening.

The victims hailed from Bihar, Odisha, UP, Tamil Nadu, and Jharkhand. Ten fire tenders occupy been pressed into carrier, and it took almost 10 hours to douse the flames.

Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes of scare – flames leaping out of home windows, panicked company screaming for help, and a lot of people jumping from home windows as thick sunless smoke choked the interiors. Firefighters extinct ladders and ropes to rescue a lot of company, even as visibility changed into as soon as lowered to shut to zero by the smoke.

Mayor Firhad Hakim, who visited the injured in sanatorium, acknowledged, “The police are in contact with the families. Arrangements are being made at quit the our bodies.”

Police Commissioner Manoj Verma and Instruct Fireplace Products and providers Minister Sujit Bose first and major effect set the toll at 15, but later revised the number to 14 after frightful-verification with hospitals and rescue groups.

“There changed into as soon as some confusion. However after verification, the number has been corrected to 14. That is the confirmed settle we now occupy for the time being,” Verma acknowledged. However, Hakim persevered to dispute that the loss of life toll stood at 15.

The explanation for the blaze is below investigation, but preliminary findings imprint gross negligence and violation of fire security norms by the resort management.

“The resort violated extra than one security regulations. The fitting staircase changed into as soon as blocked, and air circulate components occupy been sealed due to an below-constructing, unlawful dance bar on the equal ground, which severely hampered evacuation efforts,” a senior fire respectable acknowledged.

Minister Sujit Bose confirmed that the resort had defunct fire alarms and sprinklers.

“That is a definite case of negligence. The resort had no active fire security systems in effect,” he acknowledged. Director Recurring of Fireplace Products and providers Ranvir Kumar published that the resort’s fire security clearance had expired in 2022.

“An FIR has been filed, and the resort homeowners are absconding,” he acknowledged.

A portion of officials indicated that a brazen brush aside for most important firefighting measures in some commercial establishments and power lapses by regulatory authorities resulted in this most in model concern. The incident has drawn parallels with outdated tragedies esteem the Stephen Court fire in March 2010 that killed 43, and the AMRI Sanatorium blaze in December 2011, which claimed over 90 lives.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his effort over the inability of lives and launched an ex gratia for the victims’ families.

“Anguished by the inability of lives due to a fire mishap in Kolkata. Condolences to of us that misplaced their household. May the injured increase soon. An ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of household of every deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000,” the PMO posted on X.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee acknowledged she monitored the rescue operation at some stage in the evening.

“My coronary heart goes out to the victims of the fireside incident that took effect at a non-public resort (Rituraj) in Burra Bazar home…. Fourteen died sooner or later in complete because there occupy been combustible materials stored interior. Investigation has been ordered,” Banerjee wrote on X.

The disclose govt launched a compensation of Rs 2 lakh every for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. An SIT changed into as soon as fashioned by Kolkata Police to probe the actual trigger and establish these responsible.

The tragedy also precipitated political slugfests, with the opposition BJP launching scathing assaults on the TMC govt. Instruct BJP president Sukanta Majumdar criticised the CM for persevering with with the inauguration of Jagannath Dham in Digha whereas the fireside raged in Kolkata.

“The day earlier than at the current time, a devastating fire in the Mechhua home of Burrabazar claimed the lives of extra than 14 harmless people. Many extra are struggling with for their lives. Yet, the chief minister selected to remain quiet and persevered with her non secular match in Digha,” he acknowledged in a observation.

BJP leader Sajal Ghosh called out the govts failure to behave on unsafe structures. Left Front too joined in the criticism, aggravating action against the resort owner and stronger enforcement of security regulations. TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee expressed effort over the incident.

“The disclose administration, along with volunteers from totally different organisations, is making every effort to beef up these affected and to produce certain efficient reduction and rehabilitation. In this complex hour, we stand in unwavering cohesion with all these impacted,” he posted on X.