At least seven people were killed and several others critically injured after a fire broke out at a hotel in West Bengal’s Birbhum district early on Monday, police said.
Many of the guests were pilgrims who had travelled to the temple town of Tarapith to offer prayers on the last Monday of the holy month of Shravan. The town’s famous Kali temple also houses a shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva.
The fire broke out around 4.30 am on the ground floor of the four-storey hotel, while most guests were asleep. Fire engines were rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control.
The injured were taken to Rampurhat Government Medical College and Hospital. Officials said some suffered burn injuries, while others fell ill due to smoke inhalation.
Hospital sources initially reported that five people had died, but police later revised the death toll to seven.
“The death toll is seven now,” a senior police official said.
Hotel officials claimed the fire was caused by a short circuit. According to them, the blaze started near the reception after an electrical component in the power supply system caught fire. However, the exact cause is yet to be established.
The fire spread rapidly through decorative and fibre materials inside the hotel, while thick smoke engulfed the upper floors, trapping several guests in their rooms.
A woman from Kolkata who escaped the blaze recalled the panic inside the hotel.
“Suddenly, the entire hotel was engulfed in smoke. We could not breathe, and it was hard to find an escape route,” she said.
Another guest, Tapanjyoti Mondal, said he was trapped in his room with his wife and two children for nearly 45 minutes.
“We could not get out through the door because of the blaze. Since the room had no window, we escaped through an opening near the bathroom ceiling,” he said.
Mondal’s mother was unconscious, while his sister suffered injuries in the incident.
(With inputs from PTI)
