Bangladeshi Nationals Among 9 Dead In Kolkata Hotel Fire, AC Blast Suspected

At least nine people, including a child, were killed after a massive fire broke out at a hotel in Kolkata in the early hours of Wednesday.The blaze erupted around 2:00 am on Free School Street near New Market, one of the city's busiest and most densely populated areas, trapping several guests inside the building and triggering a major rescue operation.According to the fire department, Bangladeshi nationals were among those who died in the blaze. They had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment, news agency ANI reported.Preliminary investigations found that the hotel lacked basic fire safety measures. Kolkata Police have registered a case and launched a search for the hotel owner and staff members, who are currently on the run. Around 60 people were rescued from the building during the operation, while nine people, including a minor, were found unconscious and later declared dead at a hospital. One of the victims has been identified as a resident of Jharkhand.Initial reports suggest the fire broke out on the third floor of the hotel and may have been triggered by an air-conditioner explosion, though the exact cause is yet to be confirmed.Smoke quickly filled the hotel rooms as the fire spread to nearby areas, triggering panic among guests who rushed out in alarm. Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at 2:07 am.Watch #LIVE | #TheBreakfastShow with @ParmeshwarBawa https://t.co/3myg5mJMhh - NDTV (@ndtv) August 19, 2026After receiving information about the blaze, four fire tenders rushed to the spot. A disaster management team also reached the scene and joined the rescue efforts.Firefighters worked to evacuate those trapped inside the building and eventually brought the fire under control."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 news agency PTI."Our priority is to rescue those trapped and determine the reasons for the fire. The flames have been doused," he added.The Kolkata hotel fire comes just two days after another deadly blaze at a hotel in West Bengal's Birbhum district. At least eight people were killed and several others injured after a fire broke out at Hotel Bideshini in Tarapith in the early hours of August 17. The blaze started around 4:30 am on the ground floor of the five-storey hotel while most guests were asleep. The hotel is located beside the holy pond near the Tarapith temple.Five members of a single family from Meghalaya, including two children, died in the fire. According to reports, the family was staying on the top floor of the hotel. Upon realising the fire had broken out, they attempted to flee together with the children but encountered the flames while trying to descendThe injured were rescued and taken to Rampurhat Government Medical College and Hospital for treatment.