A fire was reported at a hotel situated on Mirza Ghalib Street in the heart of Kolkata at about 2:00 AM on Wednesday, August 19, resulting in the deaths of at least nine guests and injuries to some other guests. According to fire department sources, the deceased persons were Bangladeshi nationals who had come to Kolkata to get treatment in nearby healthcare centers.
Inquest underway following second deadly hotel fire in the state
Forensic experts and local police officers have sealed the Mirza Ghalib Street hotel property to identify the exact cause of the fire.
The incident followed an almost identical incident in West Bengal two days ago:
Tarapith fire accident: A fire broke out in a hotel in Tarapith in the Birbhum district with the resultant deaths of eight persons and the hospitalization of multiple others due to an alleged electrical short circuit.
Tarapith rescue operation: Emergency services had used the ladder to rescue 22 people trapped in the hotel and sent 11 people to nearby hospitals for immediate treatment.
Victims’ backgrounds: The victims from the Tarapith fire accident include tourists who belonged to Alipurduar in the northern part of West Bengal and regional visitors from Meghalaya.
Increased law enforcement compliance checks in regional hotels
Birbhum District Superintendent of Police Vidit Raj Bhundesh mentioned that there was no heavy smoke or flame coming out from the hotel premises at the early stage of the Tarapith fire outbreak.
After filing an FIR report, the law enforcement agency took the hotel operators into custody to ask questions about the safety protocols they ignored.
State emergency agencies are checking if there are any commercial guesthouses in Kolkata and other pilgrimage destinations that have recent fire safety clearances, working fire alarms, and emergency exit passageways.
