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Agence France-Presse

At least nine people were killed and several others injured in a fire at a hotel in the Indian city of Kolkata on Wednesday, a senior fire department official said.
“Nine people were killed, including a child, in the fire that broke out early on Wednesday,” said Anuj Sharma, the fire services director of West Bengal state. “Thick smoke enveloped the hotel. Some victims were found in the bathrooms.”
Five fire engines were deployed to bring the blaze under control, while police and disaster management teams carried out rescue operations. Nine people – six men, two women and a child – were rescued and taken to hospital, Sharma said.
Preliminary information suggested an air conditioner in the budget hotel might have exploded and caused the blaze, he said.

Some victims seemed to be Bangladeshi nationals who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment, said Santosh Pathak, a member of West Bengal’s ruling party.
“We are trying to confirm the nationality of the victims,” he told reporters.
A total of 60 guests were in the hotel when the fire broke out.
The ‌hotel is located in a congested area in central Kolkata and is known for budget accommodations and restaurants.
Building fires are common in India due to a lack of firefighting equipment and routine disregard for safety regulations.
On Monday, a blaze at a hotel in West Bengal’s temple town of Tarapith left at least seven people dead and several others critically injured.

The fire broke out around 4.30am on the ground floor of a four-storey hotel while most guests were asleep, the Press Trust of India reported.
Many of the guests were pilgrims visiting the town to offer prayers at a major temple complex, which has a shrine dedicated to Hindu god Shiva. Firefighters brought the blaze under control and the injured were taken to a hospital where some were being treated for burn injuries while others suffered from smoke inhalation and asphyxiation, the report said.
Hotel management told the news agency that the blaze may have originated near the reception area after an electrical component in the hotel’s power supply system caught fire. Authorities are investigating the incident and have not yet established the exact cause.
Additional reporting by Associated Press, Reuters


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9 killed in Indian budget hotel fire after suspected air-con explosion

Firefighters stand at an entryway to a hotel where a fire broke out and killed several people, in Kolkata on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters 

A fire truck stands by near a hotel where a fire broke out and killed several people in Kolkata on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

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Firefighters and other officials stand on the street in the aftermath of hotel a fire that killed several people in Kolkata on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

Onlookers and fire personnel gather in the aftermath of a fire at a hotel in Kolkata on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

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Some victims are believed to be Bangladeshi nationals who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment


Some victims are believed to be Bangladeshi nationals who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment.


Bangladesh

9 killed in Indian budget hotel fire after suspected air-con explosion

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Some victims are believed to be Bangladeshi nationals who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment

Some victims are believed to be Bangladeshi nationals who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment