At least 15 people have died in a devastating fire that broke out at a hotel in the northeastern Indian city of Kolkata, local police confirmed, adding that dozens more people had been rescued from rooms and the roof of the building.
The fire broke out on Tuesday evening and took several hours to bring under control. Firefighters faced numerous difficulties due to the rapid spread of flames and thick smoke that engulfed the stairs and corridors of the Rituraj Hotel, which is located above a commercial warehouse.
According to witnesses, many of the guests tried to escape by climbing to the roof, while others were seen clinging to windows. Firefighters used hydraulic ladders to reach people trapped on the outside of the building, while some used their phone lights to signal for help from above.
Authorities have launched a wide-ranging investigation into the causes of the incident and the security measures in the building. "A special team has been formed to investigate the cause of the fire and the difficulties faced by residents during the evacuation," police commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma told the media. (A2 Televizion)
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