At least 30 people were evacuated from the hotel as firefighters brought the blaze under control within an hour; authorities were still determining its cause and the nationalities of those killed. Firefighters and other officials stand on the street in the aftermath of a hotel fire that killed several people in Kolkata, India, August 19, 2026. Reuters
At least nine people were killed, including a child, in a fire at a hotel in India's eastern city of Kolkata on Wednesday, local police said.
The fire broke out at around 2:50 a.m. local time on the second floor of the hotel building and was brought under control within an hour, a senior police officer told Reuters.
Around 30 people were evacuated safely in the incident, which may have been triggered by an electrical short circuit, the officer said. The exact cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained, he added.
Local media reported injuries, with at least six wounded undergoing hospital treatment.
News agency ANI, in which Reuters has a minority stake, reported, citing the fire department, that some of those killed were Bangladeshi citizens who were in Kolkata to seek medical treatment. NDTV reported that all nine dead were Bangladeshis.
The senior police official Reuters spoke to, however, said the nationalities of those killed were yet to be ascertained.
The hotel is located in a congested area in central Kolkata and is known for budget accommodation and restaurants.
25.12°C Kathmandu
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