Mirza Ghalib Street Fire: 9 Bangladeshi Nationals Killed In Devastating Blaze Day After Tarapith Hotel Inferno Claimed 8 Lives

Kolkata: Tragedy struck West Bengal’s hospitality sector for the second time in 48 hours as a horrific inferno broke out at a hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street (formerly Free School Street) in central Kolkata early Wednesday morning.

The blaze claimed the lives of nine people, all confirmed to be Bangladeshi nationals visiting the city for medical treatment, and left several others critically injured.

Around 60 others were also rescued from the burning building. Kolkata Police has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident.

The incident follows a deadly hotel fire in the pilgrimage town of Tarapith in Birbhum district less than two days prior, where eight people lost their lives, exposing glaring gaps in structural fire safety across commercial properties in the state.

Midnight Horror in Kolkata’s Central Hub

The Kolkata blaze erupted around 2:00 AM on Wednesday inside a multi-storey hotel at 15H Mirza Ghalib Street, a bustling neighbourhood in the New Market area popular among cross-border visitors.

Most boarders were fast asleep when flames originated on the lower floors, quickly filling the enclosed, unventilated corridors with thick, asphyxiating smoke.

Five fire tenders along with teams from the Disaster Management Department rushed to the location.

Firefighters faced severe operational challenges as blinding smoke cut off access to primary stairwells, leaving dozens trapped on upper levels.

Emergency workers managed to rescue over 60 occupants, extracting several via ladders and balconies, and rushed six critically injured individuals to nearby medical facilities, including Kolkata Medical College and SSKM Hospital.

Senior police officials confirmed that all nine deceased, comprising six men, two women, and a child, succumbed to heavy smoke inhalation before they could reach safety.

The Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata has been notified to assist with victim identification and diplomatic coordination for repatriating the bodies.

Back-to-Back Hotel Disasters Shock Bengal

The tragedy comes while West Bengal was still reeling from a devastating fire at Hotel Bideshini near the revered Tarapith Temple in Birbhum district early Monday morning.

That incident claimed eight lives, primarily pilgrims from Meghalaya and West Bengal’s Alipurduar district, when a short circuit near the reception area triggered a massive fire during peak Shravan festival rush.

Investigators in Tarapith revealed that although an emergency staircase existed, the exit grills were securely locked, trapping panic-stricken guests inside pitch-black, smoke-filled corridors. The hotel owner in Tarapith was subsequently taken into custody.

The swift succession of the two tragedies has raised urgent red flags regarding building compliance, operational fire alarms, and emergency evacuation exits in budget accommodations across the state.

Investigation Underway

Forensic experts and West Bengal Fire Services personnel have cordoned off Mirza Ghalib Street to determine the exact origin and cause of the blaze.

Investigators are examining potential electrical short circuits, checking whether the hotel possessed valid fire safety clearances and adequate firefighting apparatus.

State authorities have assured strict legal action against any building owners or management found guilty of violating safety regulations.

In light of the consecutive disasters, state officials are expected to initiate comprehensive, multi-departmental fire safety audits targeting commercial guest houses and budget hotels across Kolkata and major tourist hubs statewide.

Police said the situation in the area is currently peaceful and under control, with adequate police deployment maintained at the spot.

The site of the incident has been secured and preserved, and further action is being taken as per law. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

Ministers React

Following the fire, West Bengal Minister Agnimitra Paul said the government is planning to form a team to check whether hotels across the city have valid permits and fire licences, flagging that the building housed multiple hotels crammed with small rooms across its floors.

Paul arrived at the site to inspect the hotel, asserting that action will be taken in the case.

"We are planning to form a team to check whether the hotels have valid permits and fire licences. Ten hotels are being run across three floors of a single building, with small rooms. This cannot be allowed. The police are still checking whether they are Bangladeshi or Indian. The police will confirm this after the investigation. Definitely, action will be taken. We have not spoken to the Chief Minister yet, but after speaking to the Chief Minister, we will make any announcement," Paul told reporters.

Echoing similar sentiments over the situation, state minister Tapas Roy said, "Those running hotels here and do not have all the required licences and facilities should be checked. We will form a team to inspect and search all such places. This is not happening only here; similar incidents are taking place across Kolkata and in other cities, in congested areas. We will adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards such incidents."

West Bengal Minister Kaushik Chaudhary said the toll could have been far higher had rescue teams not acted swiftly.

"We have information of nine deaths. We don't know the cause of the fire yet. There could have been 100 deaths, but we managed to rescue 80 people. It appears the deaths were due to smoke. Nine people have died; strict action will be taken in this incident. The CM has spoken to me to inquire about the situation."

PM Modi Condoles Incident

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday extended his sympathies to all those mourning the loss of their family members following the destructive fire accident in Kolkata.

The Prime Minister assured that necessary help is being provided to all individuals and households harmed by the mishap.

Prime Minister, in a post on X, expressed solidarity with the victims of the disaster and wished for the early recovery of those injured, "Extremely pained to learn about the loss of lives due to a fire mishap in Kolkata. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this tragedy. May the injured recover at the earliest. The local administration is assisting those who are affected," the post read.