India: at least nine dead in Calcutta hotel fire

A terrible tragedy mourns India this Wednesday. A fire at a Calcutta hotel left at least nine dead and several injured.

The hotel caught in thick smoke

“Nine people were killed, including a child, in the fire which broke out early on Wednesday,” reported fire director Anuj Sharma. “Thick smoke enveloped the hotel. Some victims were found in the bathrooms of the establishment.”

According to initial reports, the fire may have been started by the explosion of an air conditioner inside this budget hotel in Calcutta, the capital of the state of West Bengal. Six men, two women and a child were rescued and taken to hospital, said Anuj Sharma.

Santosh Pathak, a member of the ruling party in the state, said some of the victims were Bangladeshi nationals who had come to Calcutta for treatment. “We are trying to confirm the nationality of the victims,” he said. A total of 60 guests were in the hotel when the fire broke out.