Massive fire at Kolkata hotel kills 14, including 2 children

At least 14 people, including two children, lost their lives after a devastating fire tore through a hotel in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal late Tuesday night.

The blaze, which erupted at the Rituraj Hotel in central Kolkata, also left two people seriously injured, authorities confirmed.

Firefighters battled the flames for several hours before bringing the blaze under control in the early hours of Wednesday. However, rescue operations continued well into the morning as emergency services scoured the charred remains of the multi-storey building in search of survivors or more victims.

The exact cause of the fire remains unknown. Authorities have launched a formal investigation, and a special police team has been constituted to probe the incident. Preliminary reports suggest that many of the guests were asleep when the fire started, contributing to the high death toll.

“We are doing everything we can to assist the affected families and determine the cause of this tragedy,” said a senior police official overseeing the investigation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief in a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying he was “anguished by the loss of lives due to the fire in Kolkata.” He also announced financial compensation to the families of the deceased and to those injured in the fire.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and panic as smoke billowed from the building and people screamed for help. “There were people trapped inside, banging on windows. It was horrific,” said local resident Ranjit Das, who was among the first to alert emergency services.

Authorities have sealed the premises of the hotel and are examining whether fire safety norms were violated — a recurring issue in urban centers across India.

As families mourn their loved ones, the incident has renewed calls for stricter enforcement of fire safety regulations in commercial establishments.