Fourteen people were killed and several others suffered burns after a massive fire gripped a hotel in Kolkata's Burrabazar on Tuesday night.
The fire broke out around 8.30 pm at Hotel Rituraj, located in the Mechua fruit market area of Burrabazar. One hotel staff member died after jumping from the roof in an attempt to escape the blaze.
After the fire was brought under control, firefighters and members of the disaster response team entered the building to search. During this operation, 13 more charred bodies were recovered from different rooms of the hotel.
Police Commissioner Manoj Verma said 14 bodies have been recovered from the hotel while several people were rescued.
A special team has been formed to look into the incident and further investigation is underway, he said.
The bodies have been sent for post-mortem to the RG Kar Hospital and the Neel Ratan Sarkar Medical College.
PMO condoles deaths, WB government announces ex-gratia
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) consoled the loss of lives in the fire incident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next to the kin of deceased.
"Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to the collapse of a wall in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000," the PMO said in a post on X.
The state government too announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased, while the injured persons will get Rs 50,000.
