14 killed in hotel fire in central Kolkata

Kolkata: At least 14 people were killed and several were injured in a fire that broke out at a hotel in central Kolkata's Mechuapatti area on Tuesday night, police said.

Addressing the media, police commissioner Manoj Verma said the fire broke out around 8.15 p.m. on Tuesday evening. He confirmed that at least 15 casualties had been reported. 

“Several people were rescued from rooms and roof of the hotel. The fire is now under control, and cooling operations are underway,” he said.

In the visuals, several people were seen trying to escape through the windows and narrow ledges of the building. Two people sustained injuries while trying to jump from the fourth floor.

Ten fire engines brought the blaze under control, but the emergency services faced a tough time operating in the congested area, where the largest wholesale market in eastern India is located.

Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim and Police Commissioner Manoj Verma visited the spot and oversaw the firefighting operations.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, but an electrical short circuit is suspected to have triggered it, an official said.