Bangladeshis among nine dead, 6 injured in Kolkata building fire

Five fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the blaze, which was brought under control at around 4:30 am. Rescue and relief operations were subsequently carried out at the site, officials said.

The incident is the second major fire tragedy in West Bengal in three days. On Monday, nine persons were killed in a fire at a hotel in Tarapith in Birbhum district.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari ordered a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the Kolkata blaze and directed the administration to ensure the best possible medical treatment for those injured.

A five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to conduct a detailed inquiry. The team will examine the sequence of events, determine whether fire safety norms were violated and fix responsibility for any lapses.

Expressing condolences to the families of the victims, Adhikari also raised concerns over alleged deficiencies in fire safety compliance. Calling it as a "legacy of negligence" Adhikari claimed that the incident highlighted the consequences of inadequate enforcement of safety regulations over the years by the previous government, alleging that commercial establishments, including hotels, had been allowed to operate without proper adherence to mandatory fire safety norms.

State minister Agnimitra Paul, who visited the site, raised questions over the operation of multiple hotels from the same building. Paul said 10 hotels were allegedly being operated across three floors, with small rooms, and questioned how such an arrangement could have been permitted.

“This cannot be allowed,” Paul said, adding that authorities would examine the legality of the establishments as well as their compliance with fire and safety regulations.

On whether those dead were Bangladesh nationals, she said, “The police are still checking whether they are Bangladeshi or Indian. The police will confirm this after the investigation”.