Kolkata hotel fire: 5 Bangladeshis among 9 dead; administration, guests flag flouted norms

The state government has ordered a statewide fire-safety audit of hotels and guest houses, while an SIT has also been formed to probe the incident.

Exit gates locked, no fire alarms: How rescue took place

The police said that Wednesday morning’s fire, believed to be caused by a short circuit, spread fast, making it difficult for the guests to escape. Police sources said the building also lacked proper firefighting systems.

Atiyar Rehman, a guest from Satkhira in Bangladesh, alleged the same. “There was no firefighting mechanism in the hotel. We woke up struggling to breathe in the smoke. We somehow managed to escape,” he told The Indian Express.

As the news of the fire spread, five firefighting engines and the Disaster Management Department rushed to the spot. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation as well as the Fire Department are located in close vicinity of the Shikha Inn hotel.

Most of the guests had rushed to the hotel terrace for safety. There was an emergency exit but the gates were locked, and there were no fire alarms at the hotel, police sources said.

A fire services team used ladders to scale the building, get inside through the windows, and rescue people from the building. Over 60 people were rescued from the fire.

The fire personnel who rushed to the spot claimed dense black smoke in the building led to difficulty in visibility and breathing.

“After prolonged and strenuous rescue efforts, the fire brigade and police personnel successfully rescued around 60 persons from the hotel and brought them to safety,” said a senior officer of Kolkata Police. “The fire-fighting and rescue operations continued for over 2 hours and were completed by 4.30 am. A police team remained deployed throughout the operation to ensure safe and effective coordination and crowd control,” the officer said.

Nine people were rushed to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, where they were declared dead. The police said the deceased included six men, two women, and a child.

Five of the deceased have been identified as Bangladeshi citizens — Akram Ali, Debashish Dutta, Afshana Shirmin and Swarnashish Dutta, all from the same family, apart from 37-year-old Babu Ahmed. Two others have been identified as Indian nationals — 19-year-old Sandip Paswan from Bihar, and Yog Narayan Aggarwal, 68, from Siliguri. The identities of two other deceased are yet to be ascertained.

Audit ordered as officials flag fire safety rules flouted

The cramped-up entrance of the Shikha Inn hotel is covered with boards with names of other hotels and lodges. Locals say that each floor of the five-storeyed building had around 5-6 hotels, with each hotel housing 4-5 tiny rooms.

#WATCH | Nine people have died and several have suffered injuries in a fire that broke out in a hotel in Kolkata’s Mirza Ghalib Street around 2 am today

Teams of Police and Civil Defence are present at the accident site pic.twitter.com/P6Q8kcImzI

— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2026

ALSO READ | 8 killed in West Bengal hotel fire as locked emergency exit traps guests

Hardly any windows were visible in the hotel building, which is lined by iron staircases located at its backside.

The locals alleged that the owners had linked two buildings together, flouting all rules and regulations. The iron staircases also got heated up from the fire, making it difficult for the guests to escape.

The locals alleged that no fire safety rules were being followed at the hotel, and that the number of the hotels suddenly spurt in the area from 2015 onwards, without obtaining any proper permissions.

Minister of State for Fire and Emergency Services, Koushik Chowdhury told mediapersons, “The situation inside this building is very bad. There are several hotels inside this building. I am shocked to see what was going on here…”

Fire broke out a al hotel in Kolkata. (Express photo by Partha Paul)

Chowdhury said the preliminary information pointed to a short circuit behind the fire, and that more details would be available after the forensic examination is conducted.

Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister, Agnimitra Paul, also questioned the alleged flouting of rules by the building owners. Visiting the spot on Wednesday, Paul questioned how several air conditioners were operating and whether the electrical load caused the short circuit leading to the fire. She added that the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC) should also take responsibility.

Paul said a committee comprising officials of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, fire department, police and PWD would examine whether buildings in the area complied with fire-safety and construction norms. She questioned how establishments operating in such cramped premises had obtained trade licences and the fire department’s no-objection certificates.

Five-member SIT formed; audit ordered

Meanwhile, a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed by the Detective Department of the Kolkata Police to probe the cause of the fire.

The SIT will be headed by Bhagirath Ghosh, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Admn), Detective Department, Kolkata, and the day-to-day supervision would be conducted by the DCP of the department.

The police have filed a suo motu FIR in the case, under sections of the BNS relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash or negligent acts that endanger human life or the personal safety of others, negligent or rash conduct involving fire or combustible matter, and certain sections under the Fire Service Act.

While the owner of the hotel, Bireshwar Mitra is absconding, his wife, Lipi Mitra told mediapersons, “My husband was there in the hotel till 10.30pm last night. How this incident happened, we do not know.. it has to be investigated. We have all the required licences and permits.”

Bangladesh Mission issues Helpline

At least five of the nine deceased hailed from Bangladesh. In a statement issued Wednesday, the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata said four of the deceased were residents of Kushtia and belonged to the same family, while one was a resident of Aminbazar in Dhaka.

“Officials from the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata reached the spot, collected information regarding the deceased, and made necessary arrangements for adequate medical treatment for the injured… the Deputy High Commission will take necessary measures to repatriate the bodies of the deceased to Bangladesh accordingly…” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Deputy High Commission has also opened a 24-hour helpline through which family members of the deceased and those injured or affected by the incident can contact the Embassy 24/7 at Helpline numbers: +8801717291266 and +919903426119.

Prez, PM express grief; CM blames TMC’s ‘apathy’

Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu condoled the loss of lives in the Kolkata fire on Wednesday.

“The news of the loss of lives in the fire incident in Kolkata is extremely sad. I express my condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the swift recovery of those who have been injured,” Murmu said in a post on X in Hindi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the incident.

He posted on X, “ Extremely pained to learn about the loss of lives due to a fire mishap in Kolkata. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this tragedy. May the injured recover at the earliest. The local administration is assisting those who are affected.”

In a statement issued by the Lok Bhavan, West Bengal Governor R N Ravi said, “Deeply anguished by the loss of precious lives in the fire mishap in the Mirza Ghalib Street area of Kolkata. My deepest condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones and prayers for the swift recovery of those injured.”

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari posted on social media, “ Shocked and anguished by the tragic fire incident… While we remain focused on the rescue and relief operations and conducting investigation… it is impossible to ignore the reality we are facing today. This tragedy is a grim reminder of the legacy of negligence left behind by the previous regime.”

Hitting out at the previous TMC government without naming anyone, he added, “For years, the city and state’s infrastructure was allowed to grow unchecked, with structures being permitted to be built and operated as hotels and other businesses, while completely ignoring mandatory fire safety norms.

The previous administration systematically looked the other way, failing to enforce basic compliance audits and allowing these unsafe conditions to fester. We are now working tirelessly to undo the damage of that era and to enforce the safety standards that should have been in place all along.”

“My heart goes out to the families who have lost their loved ones in this heartbreaking tragedy.

I have instructed the administration to ensure that the injured receive the absolute best medical attention and support… Prayers for the departed,” the CM added.