Kolkata Hotel Fire Kills 15, Prompts Safety Probe

A devastating fire broke out at the Rituraj Hotel in central Kolkata’s Burrabazar area on Tuesday evening, killing at least 14 to 15 people, including two children and a woman, and injuring several others. The blaze, which reportedly began near the kitchen, spread rapidly through the six-storey building, and many victims died of suffocation while others died attempting to escape. Failures in the hotel's internal firefighting systems and the area's narrow, crowded lanes hampered rescue efforts, though firefighters managed to save dozens using hydraulic equipment. The incident exposed wider building safety and emergency preparedness issues in India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed condolences and announced ex-gratia compensation for the victims’ families. Authorities have launched both a Special Investigation Team and a forensic inquiry to determine the cause and assess lapses in fire safety, as the tragedy renewed calls for stricter regulation enforcement.