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.
The deceased persons were Bangladeshi nationals who had come to Kolkata to get treatment in nearby healthcare centers, according to fire department sources.
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. Forensic experts and local police officers have sealed the Mirza Ghalib Street hotel property to identify the exact cause of the fire. 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. 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.
