United News of Bangladesh

At least nine Bangladeshis including a child were killed after a massive fire broke out at a hotel in Kolkata in the early hours of Wednesday. According to the fire service department, all nine people who died in the blaze were Bangladeshi nationals who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment, Indian news agency ANI reported. The fire broke out around 2:00 am at a hotel on Free School Street near New Market, one of Kolkata’s busiest and most densely populated areas. Four fire tenders rushed to the scene after receiving information about the blaze, while a disaster management team also joined the rescue operation. Firefighters worked to evacuate guests trapped inside the building and eventually brought the blaze under control. The cooling operation was underway after the flames were doused. “The dense smoke made it difficult for firefighters to climb the staircase and reach the upper floors. While nine people have died, more deaths are feared,” a police officer told PTI. “Our priority is to rescue those trapped and determine the reasons for the fire. The flames have been doused, and the cooling process is underway,” the officer said. Initial reports suggested that the fire may have been triggered by an air-conditioner explosion, although the exact cause had not been confirmed.