New Delhi [India], August 19 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday extended his sympathies to all those mourning the loss of their family members following the destructive fire accident in Kolkata. The Prime Minister assured that necessary help is being provided to all individuals and households harmed by the mishap.
Prime Minister, in a post on X, expressed solidarity with the victims of the disaster and wished for the early recovery of those injured,
“Extremely pained to learn about the loss of lives due to a fire mishap in Kolkata. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this tragedy. May the injured recover at the earliest. The local administration is assisting those who are affected,” the post read.
Meanwhile, following the tragic fire at a hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street that claimed nine lives, Kolkata Police has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident.
Nine people, including one child, died in the fire, which erupted during the early hours on Wednesday, police said. Around 60 others were also rescued from the burning building.
Following the fire, West Bengal Minister Agnimitra Paul said the government is planning to form a team to check whether hotels across the city have valid permits and fire licences, flagging that the building housed multiple hotels crammed with small rooms across its floors.
Paul arrived at the site to inspect the hotel, asserting that action would be taken in the case.
“We are planning to form a team to check whether the hotels have valid permits and fire licences. Ten hotels are being run across three floors of a single building, with small rooms. This cannot be allowed. The police are still checking whether they are Bangladeshi or Indian. The police will confirm this after the investigation. Definitely, action will be taken. We have not spoken to the Chief Minister yet, but after speaking to the Chief Minister, we will make any announcement,” Paul told reporters.
According to police, information about the fire was received at New Market Police Station at around 2 AM, prompting a police team to rush to the spot immediately, while the Fire Brigade and CESC authorities were alerted and asked to take urgent action.
After a prolonged rescue operation, the Fire Brigade and police personnel rescued approximately 60 people from the hotel premises and brought them to safety. During the rescue effort, nine persons, including two women and one child, were found unconscious and rushed to Medical College & Hospital for treatment. On examination, the doctor declared them brought dead.
Police said the situation in the area is currently peaceful and under control, with adequate police deployment maintained at the spot. The site of the incident has been secured and preserved, and further action is being taken as per the law. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
The incident comes just two days after another hotel fire in the state. On Monday, eight people died, and several others were injured, allegedly due to a short circuit, at a hotel in Tarapith in Birbhum district, officials said. (ANI)
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