Kolkata Hotel Fire Kills At Least Nine

A deadly fire tore through a hotel in central Kolkata early Wednesday morning, killing at least nine people, including a child, and injuring several others. The blaze erupted at a hotel on Free School Street near the bustling New Market area around 1:45 a.m. local time while most guests were asleep, prompting a large-scale rescue operation by fire and disaster management teams.

Fire officials stated that five fire tenders were rushed to the scene and that dense smoke severely hampered rescue efforts, making it difficult for crews to climb staircases and reach the upper floors of the old building. The flames have since been extinguished and a cooling operation is underway. A police officer involved in the operation indicated that more fatalities could not be ruled out initially, though the confirmed death toll stood at nine. Authorities reported that approximately 28 people were rescued from the hotel and transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.

All nine victims have been identified as Bangladeshi nationals who had traveled to India for medical treatment, according to the city's Fire Department. The injured, which police sources said numbered at least six, were also taken...