At least 14 people were killed in a fire that broke out in a hotel near Falpatti Machhua in central Kolkata on Tuesday, a senior police officer said. "This fire incident took place at around 8:15 p.m. at the premises of Rituraj Hotel. Fourteen bodies have been recovered, and several people have been rescued by the teams," Manoj Kumar Verma, Kolkata Police Commissioner, told reporters.
He said that the fire is under control, and the rescue operation is still underway. "The fire is under control, and rescue is underway. Further investigation is underway. A special team has also been formed for the investigation," he said. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
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Earlier, Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar had urged the State administration to rescue the affected immediately, and called for "stricter monitoring" of fire safety measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future.
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"I urge the state administration to immediately rescue those affected, ensure their safety, and provide them with necessary medical and humanitarian assistance. Additionally, I appeal for a thorough review and stricter monitoring of fire safety measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future," he said in a post on X.
Reacting to the incident, West Bengal Congress President Subhankar Sarkar also slammed the Kolkata Corporation."This is a tragic incident. A fire broke out...A lot of people are still stuck in the building. There was no safety or security...I don't know what the corporation is doing," Sarkar told ANI.