At least nine people died in a fire at a hotel in Kolkata, India, on Wednesday, according to Reuters. The news agency reported the fatalities but did not provide further details on the cause of the blaze or the condition of any survivors.
The fire occurred in the city of Kolkata, the capital of India's West Bengal state. Reuters did not name the hotel or specify the exact time of the incident in its initial report.
Additional coverage from Indian outlets, including The Hindu and Telegraph India, described the event as a night of horror, with flames and smoke visible at the scene. The Times of India reported that a Bangladeshi journalist and his family were among those killed, citing a final social media post from the journalist before the fire. ThePrint noted that India's President, Droupadi Murmu, expressed condolences for the lives lost in the incident.
The reports indicate that the fire drew a significant emergency response, though specific details on rescue operations or the number of injured have not been confirmed. Authorities have not yet released an official statement on the cause of the fire or the identities of all victims.
This incident adds to a pattern of deadly fires in Indian commercial buildings, which have raised ongoing concerns about fire safety standards in the country. However, no official investigation findings have been published in connection with this specific event.
What to watch next: Official statements from local authorities on the fire's cause and any potential safety violations at the hotel.
