Kolkata Hotel Fire Claims 15 Lives, Including Children; SIT Formed to Probe Cause of Tragedy

Kolkata: A devastating fire at a hotel in central Kolkata's Mechuapatti area claimed the lives of 15 people, including a woman and two children, on Tuesday evening. Thirteen others sustained injuries, several of whom remain in critical condition, according to police and emergency services.
The blaze broke out at the Rituraj Hotel around 7:30 PM and raged through the building for nearly 10 hours before being brought under control by early Wednesday morning. Ten fire tenders were deployed to douse the flames.
"There were 88 guests in 42 rooms at the time of the incident. So far, 11 men, a woman, a boy, and a girl have been confirmed dead. Eight of the victims have been identified," a senior Kolkata Police officer said. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and the premises have been sealed off for forensic examination.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted by Kolkata Police to determine the cause of the fire and whether there were lapses in fire safety compliance.
State Fire and Emergency Services Minister Sujit Bose confirmed the death toll and said efforts are underway to identify the remaining victims and ensure proper medical care for the injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. In a message posted on X, he said, "Anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire mishap in Kolkata. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon." The Prime Minister’s Office announced an ex gratia of 2 lakh rupees from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased, and 50,000 rupees for each injured person.
Authorities have assured a thorough investigation and strict action in case of negligence.