‘It was like a horror movie’: Kolkata hotel fire survivors recount night of terror
A deadly fire at a hotel in Kolkata resulted in nine deaths, with survivors alleging a lack of basic fire safety equipment and alarms. Authorities are investigating the incident as survivors describe a chaotic and terrifying escape from the building.
Why it matters
The incident highlights critical lapses in urban fire safety enforcement and building code compliance in densely populated areas.
KOLKATA: Horrified guests of a Kolkata hotel, who were rescued from a devastating blaze that claimed nine lives in the early hours of Wednesday, recounted a night of terror.Dark smoke engulfed the second and third floors of the dilapidated building, leaving those stranded with little hope of escape, news agency PTI reported.Many survivors alleged that the establishment had no fire alarm or adequate safety equipment in place.Nine people, including a four-year-old child and two women, were killed in the fire at the cramped central Kolkata building that housed several hotels.Prompt action by fire brigade personnel saved around 80 lives, West Bengal fire and emergency services department minister Kaushik Chowdhury said.A resident from Bangladesh, who was staying at the hotel, claimed that he approached the staff, who were fast asleep when the blaze broke out around 2am, PTI reported.“Dark smoke engulfed the second and third floors of the building, and it…
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