NIN Web Desk : (Dr subhrojyoti chattopadhyay) ; Many people died tragically in a devastating fire at a hotel in Mechuabazar Falpatti, Barabazar, Kolkata. According to the latest reports, the death toll has risen to 14. According to police sources, 13 people died due to smoke inhalation and 1 person died while jumping down to save his life. The death toll has increased due to suffocation of heavy smoke, said the mayor. The fire broke out at around 7.30 pm on Tuesday. The area is congested, and panic spread quickly as the hotel was full of residents.
There was only one staircase for entry and exit. So many could not go down. Some were trapped in the hotel rooms. Residents of the state and other states lived in the hotel. Perhaps the fire extinguishing system was not used properly. Also, many could not escape alive due to lack of emergency exit arrangements.
There are shops and warehouses on the first floor of this Rituraj Hotel at 6 Madanmohan Barman Street. The upper part is the hotel and has 47 rooms. The hotel has 60 employees and 88 residents in 42 rooms. Many of them were residents of other states also. One person died while trying to save his life by going down the pipe. Some fell from the roof cornice. Many bodies were also found near the stairs. Locals claim that smoke was seen coming out of the kitchen on the first floor at around 8:15 pm.
The fire spread from there. 10 fire engines brought the fire under control. Some people took shelter on the roof of the hotel to escape the fire. They lit their mobile flashlights and signaled many people. To save their lives, they stood on the cornice on the top floor of the hotel. One person died after falling from there. Those trapped on the roof were lowered to the roof of a neighboring house using a ladder. Some of the residents were brought down by fire ladders. Kolkata Metropolitan Mayor Firhad Hakim arrived at the scene at night. According to police sources, 8 bodies have been identified. Many were rescued from the hotel and taken to RG Kar, NRS and Kolkata Medical College.
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