Began on second floor, only one entry/exit: What to know about Kolkata fire that killed 9

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like At least nine people were killed after a blaze broke out at Kolkata's Shikha Inn hotel. As per officials, the fire broke out in the early hours of Wednesday. Charred portion of the exterior of a building after a fire broke out at a hotel on Mirza Galib Street, leaving at least nine people dead and six others injured (PTI)According to fire brigade officials, the fire broke out in the hotel, which is a five-storey building on 15H Mirza Ghalib Street, around 2am. Four fire tenders were pressed into action, and the fire was doused after a few hours. People familiar with the matter have added that the fire broke out on the second floor of the hotel and then spread to the rest of the building. "Neither smoke nor flames were visible from the outside. Police and fire brigade teams arrived at the scene; 22 people were rescued using ladders," Birbhum Superintendent of Police Vidit Raj Bhundesh told reporters. Speaking to media, Fire Department Minister Kaushik Chowdhury said that the cause of the fir in under investigation and could be due to a short circuit. "A forensic examination would reveal what led to the blaze," he added further. As per guests in the hotel, the inn had only one entry and exit and no emergency exits. “I came with my friend. It was a very dangerous situation and I really don’t know how we escaped. There was no fire-alarm or fire-fighting system. Some have died,” Amirul Hossain, a guest from Tarapith in Birbhum district, told HT. "The building management did not comply with basic safety and construction norms. It is alleged that there were several irregularities in the functioning of the hotel," Minister Chowdhury told reporters. Also Read | Tarapith fire: Hotel owner, son arrested as death toll rises to 9 BJP leader Santosh Pathak also added that the majority of the hotels in Mirza Ghalib Street are run illegally. “Most of the hotels in this area are running illegally. They don’t have firefighting mechanism. They don’t follow any rules and regulations. We have told multiple times. Some don’t even have licenses. Inside, there are illegal constructions. Residential buildings are turned into commercial spaces overnight. The police station and fire brigade station are at a stone’s throw,” he said. Danita Yadav is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times. Based in New Delhi, Danita serves as a pivotal voice in international reportage in the team. Operating under the mandate of delivering "without the noise", Danita excels at distilling complex geopolitical developments into lucid, objective narratives which prioritise factual accuracy over sensationalism. In HT, Danita has been recognised for her breaking news efforts and time-bound coverage of the Air India crash, which has driven over 2 million users to the website through trusted, factual coverage of the incident. Thriving in high-pressure editorial environments, Danita has also cultivated a reputation for navigating the nuances of global diplomacy and cross-border policy. With over four years of experience in the journalism industry, Danita has spent her years diving deep into the coverage of international relations and global conflicts. She has previously worked with the news teams at Outlook India and Times Network, covering a wide range of beats and topics, from education curricula and student protests to Indian politics and international conflicts such as the Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan wars. Danita earned her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi. Beyond the newsroom and her love for international relations, you'll find Danita 'geeking' out over books, music and BTS. Her appreciation for global pop culture and storytelling also added to her unique perspective on the "soft power" dynamics that increasingly have shaped international relations in the ever-changing global order.Read More