Seven Bangladeshi nationals and two Indians have been killed in a devastating fire at a hotel near Kolkata’s New Market, according to police.
The blaze broke out at the Shikha Inn on Mirza Ghalib Street, leaving nine people dead and six others injured.
The Indian victims were identified as 19-year-old Sandeep Paswan of Jharkhand and 68-year-old Yogi Narayan of Siliguri, police said.
The seven Bangladeshi victims were identified as Kushtia resident Debashish Dutta, 39, his wife Afsana Sharmin, 27, their two-year-eight-month-old son Swarnashish Dutta, Afsana’s father Akram Ali, 74, Savar resident Babu Ahmed, 37, and Reboti Sarkar and SM Alimuzzaman, both from Kaliganj in Satkhira.
The bodies were taken to the police morgue at Kolkata Medical College on Wednesday for autopsies. Police said the post-mortem reports could be available by Wednesday night.
The fire also prompted authorities to evacuate around 80 people from four nearby hotels as a precaution against the flames spreading.
Kolkata Police have formed a five member special investigation team (SIT) to determine the cause of the fire and examine whether safety regulations were followed.
Questions have also been raised over the hotel’s fire safety arrangements.
According to sources associated with the hotel, the establishment reportedly had no fire extinguishers. Investigators are now examining how the hotel was allowed to operate without adequate firefighting and emergency safety measures.
Following the incident, authorities launched inspections of hotels, guesthouses, shops and other commercial establishments in the New Market area.
Police from New Market station conducted inspections on Wednesday evening, checking fire-fighting equipment, emergency exits and other safety arrangements at several establishments.
Meanwhile, the Street Welfare Society, an organisation representing residential hotels, guesthouses and businesses in Marquis Street, has decided to hold an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the safety of Bangladeshi visitors and measures to prevent similar incidents.
Ali Haider, secretary of the organisation, said Bangladeshi citizens had been travelling to Kolkata for around 25 years and that such a tragedy was unprecedented.
Although this was an accident, we need to take all necessary preparations to ensure that such an incident does not happen again, he said.
The incident has renewed concerns over fire safety at Kolkata’s budget hotels and guesthouses, particularly in busy areas frequented by foreign visitors.
