At least 14 dead in hotel fire in Kolkata, India

At least 14 people, including two children, were killed in a fire that swept through a six-story hotel in Kolkata, India, according to local media and officials.

The fire broke out on Tuesday night at the Rituraj Hotel, located in Kolkata’s Barabazar area. One person died shortly after the fire began, and emergency responders later recovered the bodies of 13 others from various rooms in the building. Police believe the victims died from suffocation after being trapped inside the smoke-filled hotel for an extended period.

Among the deceased were 11 men, one woman, and two children. Eight of the victims have been identified so far. Local media reports suggest that the death toll may rise further.

According to police, at least 25 people were rescued from the building, some of whom are in critical condition and were transported to nearby hospitals.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing people waving mobile phone flashlights from windows to signal for help, while others fled to the rooftop, according to local media The Wall. Firefighters used hydraulic ladders to carry out the rescue operation, with assistance from local residents.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Police are searching for the hotel’s owner, who has been missing since the incident, The Wall reported.