Kolkata hotel fire: SIT formed to probe blaze that killed 9, including child
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Kolkata hotel fire: SIT formed to probe blaze that killed 9, including child")
Exterior view of the building on Mirza Ghalib Street where a hotel fire killed nine people early morning, in Kolkata on Wednesday (Aug 19). Photograph: (ANI)
An SIT has been formed to investigate what happened inside the Shika Inn hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street after a fire tore through the Kolkata Hotel, killing nine people, including a child.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the fire at Shika Inn hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street in central Kolkata that killed nine people, including a child, officials said.
The blaze broke out around 2 am on Wednesday (Aug 19) at the hotel, which falls under the New Market police station area. Around 60 people were rescued from the building, while several others were injured.
What will the SIT do?
The SIT will now investigate the circumstances that led to the fire and examine whether the hotel complied with the required safety norms.
It will be headed by Bhagirath Ghosh, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Administration) in the Kolkata Police Detective Department. The team will examine the circumstances surrounding the fire as well as the hotel's safety and compliance measures.
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Five Bangladeshi nationals among the dead
According to the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, five of those killed have been identified as Bangladeshi nationals.
Officials from the mission reached the scene after receiving information about the fire and collected details about the victims and those injured. "According to local authorities, a total of nine people have died in the fire so far. Local police have confirmed the identities of five Bangladeshi nationals among the deceased," the Deputy High Commission said.
It said four of the deceased Bangladeshi nationals belonged to the same family. The commission has contacted their families.
Six Bangladeshi nationals who were injured were released after receiving primary treatment, it added. According to reports, some of the Bangladeshi victims may have travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment.
CM raises fire safety concerns
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari expressed concern over the tragedy and said the administration was focused on rescue, relief, and determining what led to the blaze.
In a post on X, Adhikari described the incident as a grim reminder of what he called the "legacy of negligence" left by the previous regime. He alleged that structures had been allowed to operate as hotels and other businesses without adequate enforcement of mandatory fire safety requirements.
The chief minister also alleged that basic compliance audits had not been carried out under the previous administration. He said the current government was working to enforce safety standards.
Adhikari assured those affected that the administration would provide all possible assistance and directed officials to ensure that injured victims receive the "absolute best medical attention and support".
