Published : 19 Aug 2026, 03:28 PM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:34 AM
At least nine people, including a child, have been killed after a fire broke out at a hotel in Kolkata, with Bangladeshi nationals among the victims, NDTV reports.
The victims included people who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment, news agency ANI reported, citing the fire department.
Reports on the nationalities of all nine victims, however, have not been consistent.
The fire broke out around 2am at a hotel on Free School Street, also known as Mirza Ghalib Street, near New Market, one of Kolkata's busiest and most densely populated areas.
Initial reports suggested the fire may have been triggered by an air-conditioner explosion, although the exact cause has not been confirmed.
Other reports have also raised the possibility of an electrical fault, and investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the blaze.
Smoke quickly filled the building as the fire spread, trapping several guests inside. Firefighters were alerted at around 2:07am.
Four fire tenders rushed to the scene, while police and disaster management personnel joined the rescue operation.
Around 60 people were rescued from the building, according to Indian media reports, while six others were injured and taken to hospital.
ANI initially reported, citing the fire department, that all nine people killed in the fire were Bangladeshi nationals who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment.
NDTV later reported that one of the victims had been identified as a resident of Jharkhand, India, while Bangladeshi nationals were also among those killed. Anandabazar reported that “most” of the victims were Bangladeshi.
A police officer told PTI that dense smoke made it difficult for firefighters to reach the upper floors through the staircase.
“The dense smoke made it difficult for firefighters to climb the staircase and reach the upper floors,” the officer said.
The fire was eventually brought under control and rescue operations were carried out as authorities searched the building.
The incident has also raised questions about fire safety at the hotel. Indian media reports said preliminary investigations found shortcomings in the building's fire-safety arrangements.
Kolkata Police have registered a case and are investigating the fire, including its cause and the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The Kolkata hotel fire came two days after another deadly blaze at a hotel in West Bengal's Birbhum district.
At least eight people were killed and several others injured after a fire broke out at Hotel Bideshini in Tarapith in the early hours of Aug 17.
The fire started around 4:30am on the ground floor of the five-storey hotel while most guests were asleep. Five members of a family from Meghalaya, including two children, were among those killed.
