Eight people were charred to death after a massive fire broke out at a four-storey hotel in Tarapith in West Bengal‘s Birbhum district early Monday morning. Out of the eight dead, five are from Meghalaya and three from Alipurduar in West Bengal. The police said 28 people have been rescued from the hospital and admitted to various hospitals.
According to local residents, the fire started around 4.30 am in the reception area of Hotel Bideshini. It rapidly engulfed the entire ground floor before thick smoke spread to the upper levels. They noted that the fire spread quickly due to false ceilings and fiber interior panelling.
The hotel, located a stone’s throw from the Tarapith Temple, was packed with tourists due to the holy month of Shravan. The guests were seen screaming for help, with many taking refuge on open balconies and others climbing down balconies to escape the flames.
Local police and fire brigades rushed to the scene upon receiving the alert. Fire officials said the victims were likely sleeping when the fire started. A detailed post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death.
Fire officials said that although the hotel had a rear exit and an emergency staircase, the grills to the emergency exit were locked. Rescuers had to break open the locks to rescue those trapped inside. The injured guests, some suffering from burn injuries, were rushed to the Rampurhat Government Medical College and Hospital.
Minister of State for Fire and Emergency Services, Koushik Chowdhury, said, “According to the information I have, a hotel caught fire early this morning. I am in touch with the Chief Minister, who is receiving regular updates. A detailed investigation will be conducted, and we will take stern action against those involved.”
Vidit Raj Bhundesh, Superintendent of Police, said they have detained the hotel owner. Speaking to the media, he said, The police and fire brigade rescued 11 people and took them to the hospital. We are continuing our investigation into the remaining circumstances.”
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The SP added, “We will take stern action. We observed some fire safety measures were in place, including handheld fire extinguishers.”
“We have called in a forensic team to investigate the matter. Upon visiting the site, I noticed the back gate was closed; if it had been open, more people might have been able to escape. Additionally, the terrace door was closed and made of plywood, which prevented smoke from escaping.”
‘Rushed to balcony, jumped out’
“We were on the ground floor when we suddenly heard a commotion,” said one of the guests, Samarjit Paul. “As we opened the door, the heat of the flames hit us. We quickly closed the door, switched off all the lights and fans, rushed to the balcony, and jumped out.”
Another guest staying on the first floor shared her experience. “We woke up to people shouting and screaming and saw a lot of smoke. We could hardly see anything. My husband and I quickly grabbed our children and rushed to the balcony. My husband climbed down the parapet, I passed the children to him, and then I climbed down. It was very scary.”
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Investigation
Fire brigade officers on the scene said that a short circuit is preliminarily suspected as the cause, though a full investigation will be conducted and a forensic team will inspect the site.
The police and fire officials have searched every room to confirm that no one remains trapped inside. The hotel has been completely sealed. Outside, several residents who escaped are searching for missing relatives.
PM Modi announces compensation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “anguished to hear about the loss of lives due to a fire tragedy in Birbhum”.
“I extend my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected in the mishap,” he said in a social media post.
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PM Modi announced compensation of RS 2 lakh to the families of those killed in the fire and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
Former chief minister Mamata Banerjee also expressed grief over the tragedy, posting on social media: “I am deeply shocked and grieved by the sudden and heartbreaking fire incident at Tarapith… I pray for the swift and complete recovery of those undergoing treatment.”
Audit committee formed
In the wake of the fire tragedy and ahead of the Kaushiki Amavasya festival, which draws thousands of pilgrims to Tarapith, the West Bengal government has formed a multi-departmental Special Audit Committee to inspect all local commercial accommodations.
The committee will audit fire safety compliance, electrical installations, and the availability of emergency exits across all hotels, lodges, and homestays.
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The committee will have the sub-divisional officer (SDO) of Rampurhat as its chairperson. The members will be the sub-divisional police officer, Rampurhat; the divisional fire officer (Birbhum); the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company regional representative; the Public Works Department (PWD) civil and electrical engineers; the Tarapith Rampurhat Development Authority (TRDA) representative; and the sub-divisional disaster management officer.
