Guwahati, Apr 30: In a tragic incident, at least 14 people lost their lives in a massive fire that broke out at a hotel in central Kolkata on Tuesday evening.
The blaze occurred around 8:15 pm at Rituraj Hotel in the Burra Bazar area, according to official sources.
Fourteen bodies have been recovered, and several people have been rescued. A special investigation team has been constituted to probe the incident,” a senior official said. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, though the flames have now been brought under control.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed grief over the loss of lives. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), she said, “My heart goes out to the victims of the fire incident that took place at a private hotel (Rituraj) in Burra Bazar. I monitored the rescue and firefighting operations throughout the night and mobilised maximum fire brigade services in the area. Fourteen died eventually, because there were combustible materials stored inside. An investigation has been ordered.”
She further added, “My condolences to the bereaved families and solidarity to all affected. The state government will provide ex-gratia assistance of ₹2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased, and ₹50,000 to each injured person.”
Banerjee also acknowledged the efforts of the fire services, police, and local residents. “It has been preliminarily reported that the victims died due to suffocation or from injuries sustained while attempting to escape. Further investigations are ongoing,” she said.
Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar urged the state government to take immediate steps to rescue victims and emphasised the need for “stricter monitoring” of fire safety compliance in the future to prevent such tragedies.
