The Business Bytes
THEBUSINESSBYYTES BUREAU
KOLKATA, APRIL 30, 2025
A devastating blaze tore through a six-storey budget hotel in the heart of Kolkata’s Burrabazar area on Tuesday night, transforming a modest lodging into a deadly trap of fire and smoke that left 14 people dead — including two children — and over a dozen severely injured. As the inferno raged through the building in Mechhuapatti, panicked guests screamed for help, some leaping from upper floors in a desperate attempt to survive.
The fire, which reportedly began around 8 PM on the second floor of the packed hotel, rapidly engulfed the structure, sending thick black smoke billowing through stairwells and corridors. Within minutes, the narrow alley outside was filled with chaos as guests pounded on windows, tossed belongings out, and cried for help. Some were seen clinging to window ledges before succumbing to the choking fumes or falling in a desperate escape attempt.
The hotel, crammed with 88 guests across 42 small rooms, turned into a death chamber as darkness descended, lights went out, and the flames spread unchecked. Survivors recalled terrifying scenes of confusion, with corridors choked in smoke, alarms allegedly silent, and no clear evacuation path.
Emergency response teams rushed to the scene with 10 fire engines, ladders, and ropes, but their efforts were severely hampered by the constricted access through the congested Burrabazar lanes. Firefighters battled for hours to douse the flames, finally bringing the fire under control around 3 AM on Wednesday. By then, the toll had already mounted, with many victims found unconscious or dead in stairwells and rooms, especially on the upper floors.
The aftermath on Wednesday morning was grim. The hotel, now sealed and charred, bore blackened walls and strewn personal belongings — scorched slippers, burnt suitcases, and shattered glass. Forensic teams began examining the site, while grieving families gathered outside, some arriving from neighbouring districts to identify loved ones.
Among the dead were 11 men, one woman, and two children. Thirteen others remain hospitalised with severe burn injuries and smoke inhalation, many in critical condition.
Authorities have launched a full-scale investigation into the incident. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the cause of the fire, with preliminary reports suggesting a short circuit as the likely trigger. However, serious questions are now being raised about the hotel’s fire safety compliance. Investigators are examining whether the building had operational fire alarms, functional extinguishers, or emergency exits — basic requirements that could have averted the scale of the tragedy.
Most of the hotel’s occupants were migrant workers and small-time traders visiting the city for business. What was meant to be a short, inexpensive stay in Kolkata’s busy wholesale district turned into a horrifying night of survival for many — and a final chapter for 14.
The tragedy has reignited concerns over fire safety regulations in the city’s densely populated areas, prompting calls for stricter enforcement and urgent reforms.
