Overview
- The fire broke out early Wednesday at the Shika Inn in Kolkata and left nine people dead, including one child, according to West Bengal fire officials.
- Rescuers faced thick smoke that blocked stairwells, used ladders and entered through windows to evacuate about 60 guests, and found some victims trapped in bathrooms.
- Six people were taken to hospital with injuries, local authorities said, while officials from the West Bengal fire service and police are treating an air-conditioner explosion as the likely ignition source.
- Police and state fire ministers have opened a formal inquiry into possible safety-rule breaches at the low-cost hotel, and officials are working to confirm victims’ identities and nationalities, including several reported Bangladeshi nationals.
- The blaze follows another deadly hotel fire in West Bengal earlier this week and highlights persistent safety gaps in low-cost lodging across India, which could prompt stricter inspections and enforcement.