14 killed in deadly Kolkata hotel fire: How blaze turned Rituraj Hotel into death trap

A massive fire broke out in a Kolkata hotel

At least 14 people were killed in a fire that broke out in a hotel near Falpatti Machhua in central Kolkata on Tuesday, a senior police officer said.

"This fire incident took place at around 8.15 pm at the premises of Rituraj Hotel. Fourteen bodies have been recovered, and several people have been rescued by the teams," Manoj Kumar Verma, Kolkata Police Commissioner, told reporters.

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Sachin Gupta (@SachinGuptaUP) April 30, 2025

Several people were seen trying to escape through the windows and narrow ledges of the building.

"I saw a little boy shouting for his mother from the third-floor window," said a shopkeeper from across the lane. "The smoke swallowed him before anyone could do anything."

"I was about to eat dinner when the lights went out. Then I heard screams," said a fruit vendor who lives nearby.

"People were banging on windows, some were throwing clothes out. Then I saw one man jump. He hit the ground hard and didn't get up."

Ten fire engines brought the blaze under control, but the emergency services faced a tough time operating in the congested area, where the largest wholesale market in eastern India is located.

Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim and Police Commissioner Manoj Verma visited the spot and oversaw the firefighting operations.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, but an electrical short circuit is suspected to have triggered it, an official said.

Earlier, Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar had urged the state administration to rescue the affected immediately, and called for "stricter monitoring" of fire safety measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future.

"I urge the state administration to immediately rescue those affected, ensure their safety, and provide them with necessary medical and humanitarian assistance. Additionally, I appeal for a thorough review and stricter monitoring of fire safety measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future," he said in a post on X.

Reacting to the incident, West Bengal Congress President Subhankar Sarkar also slammed the Kolkata Corporation.

"This is a tragic incident. A fire broke out...A lot of people are still stuck in the building. There was no safety or security...I don't know what the corporation is doing," Sarkar said.