Kolkata, Apr 30 (V7N)- At least 14 people, including two children, a woman, and 11 men, have lost their lives in a horrific hotel fire in Barabazar’s Mechua area of central Kolkata on Tuesday evening. Thirteen others were injured in the blaze that engulfed the multi-storey hotel with 47 rooms, most of which were occupied at the time.

The fire broke out around 7:30 PM at the hotel in the Falpatti area. Ten fire engines were dispatched immediately and brought the flames under control after eight hours of intense effort.

Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, Municipal Commissioner Manoj Verma, and State Minister Shashi Panja were on the ground supervising rescue efforts till early morning.

Officials said the hotel was filled with heavy smoke, turning it into a virtual gas chamber, which made initial rescue attempts nearly impossible. Firefighters had to break windows and enter through the fourth and fifth floors using ladders. Many deaths are suspected to have been caused by suffocation.

The origin of the fire is still unknown, and it is unclear on which floor it began. An SIT (Special Investigation Team) has been formed to determine the cause and assess possible safety violations.

This tragedy has raised serious questions about fire safety compliance in densely populated areas like Barabazar.

END/MSS/AJ