Kolkata, April 30: In an unfortunate incident, at least 14 people were killed after a massive fire broke out at the Rituraj Hotel in central Kolkata last evening.
According to sources, the blaze broke out at around 7:30 pm on Tuesday and the situation was brought under control around 1 am on Wednesday. As many as ten fire engines were engaged in dousing the flames.
While most of the victims died due to suffocation, one individual reportedly died after falling from the building in an attempt to escape the flames.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma said, "So far, 14 people have been confirmed dead. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been set up to look into the cause of the fire and assess the safety measures that were in place. The probe will also examine the challenges guests faced while trying to evacuate the building."
The exact cause of the fire is still unknown. On the other hand, early reports indicate that many of the victims were hotel guests who couldn't escape their rooms in time.
According to police, once the fire broke out, those inside the hotel became trapped.
The Rituraj Hotel is located above a commercial storage area on the ground floor, with the upper five floors used for guest accommodations. The fire is said to have spread rapidly, filling the building with thick smoke.
14 killed as massive fire breaks out at Rituraj Hotel in central Kolkata #Kolkata #NewsUpdate #massivefire #LatestNews pic.twitter.com/cILCH44Mj2
— Prameya English (@PrameyaEnglish) April 30, 2025
