At least nine people were killed and six others injured in a massive fire that broke out in a five-story building on Mirza Ghalib Street in Kolkata early Wednesday. A four-year-old child was among the deceased. The building housed several hotels. According to police, the fire broke out around 1:45 a.m. Five fire engines arrived at the scene upon receiving information, and police and disaster management teams launched a rescue operation. According to officials, approximately 80 people were safely evacuated from the building.

Officer who issued the fire safety certificate suspended

According to sources, Station Officer Abhay Choudhary, who prepared the base report for issuing the fire safety certificate to the hotel in Tarapith, West Bengal, has been suspended by the fire department.

Bangladeshi nationals among the dead

West Bengal Fire Minister Kaushik Choudhary stated that the process of identifying the deceased is ongoing. He added that Bangladeshi nationals, in addition to Indian nationals, also died in the accident. After inspecting the site, the minister expressed concern over the poor condition of the building. He stated that several hotels were operating there.

Suspected Short Circuit, Alleged Ignorance of Rules

Preliminary investigations have suspected a short circuit as the cause of the fire, although the actual cause will only be clear after a forensic examination. According to the minister, the building's management is accused of not following safety and construction regulations. Numerous irregularities have also been reported in the hotel's operations.

Police Searching for Hotel Owner

According to police, the hotel owner has been absconding since the incident. The process of registering a case has been initiated at the New Market police station. Police have also raided the accused's residence in search of him. Investigating agencies are investigating the circumstances of the fire and whether fire safety regulations were violated in the building. According to the Chief Minister's Office, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is expected to visit the site.

The Tarapith Hotel Fire also claimed nine lives.

This is the second major hotel fire in West Bengal. Nine people died in a fire at a four-story hotel in Tarapith, Birbhum district, early Monday morning. Five members of a family from Meghalaya were among the deceased. Police have detained two people, including hotel owner Kalyan Pal, and are investigating any negligence in fire safety. The fire broke out on the ground floor of the hotel around 4:30 a.m. At the time, 43 people were staying there, most of whom were asleep. The fire quickly spread to the second floor, and thick smoke filled the upper floors, trapping many people in their rooms.