14 lives lost in Rituraj Hotel blaze in central Kolkata. Political leaders blame illegal construction and demand stricter fire safety rules.
Fourteen people were killed and several others injured when a devastating fire swept through the Rituraj Hotel in central Kolkata on Tuesday evening. Authorities say the majority of the victims died due t
o suffocation, while one person lost their life after falling from an upper floor in a desperate attempt to escape the blaze.
The fire reportedly broke out around 7:30 PM and raged for several hours before it was brought under control around 1:00 AM on W
ednesday. Ten fire engines were rushed to the scene to battle the inferno, which had rapidly engulfed the multi-storey structure.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma confirmed the casualty figure early Wednesday and announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the cause of the fire and examine the safety standards maintained by the hotel. “So far, 14 casualties have been confirmed. The SIT will look into the circumstances that led to the fire, the adequacy of safety measures in place, and the challenges faced by guests during evacuation,” Verma told reporters.
While the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, preliminary reports suggest that many of the victims were guests trapped in their rooms, unable to escape as thick smoke quickly filled the corridors and stairwells. Witnesses reported scenes of panic, with people screaming for help and some even attempting to break windows in a bid to breathe or escape.
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According to fire officials, the building had a commercial storage unit on the ground floor, with five additional floors operating as hotel accommodations. It is suspected that combustible materials in the storage area may have accelerated the fire’s spread, allowing it to rapidly move upward and compromise escape routes.
Initial observations have raised serious questions about the safety infrastructure of the building, including whether fire alarms and sprinklers were functional and if emergency exits were accessible.
Political Reactions and Accusations
The incident has sparked political outrage and renewed concerns about fire safety and illegal construction in Kolkata. Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar urged the state government to act swiftly, not just in rescue and relief operations but also in initiating systemic reforms.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Majumdar said, “I urge the state administration to immediately assist those affected, provide medical and humanitarian aid, and ensure accountability. We also need a comprehensive review of fire safety norms across all commercial and residential buildings in the city.”
BJP leader Dilip Ghosh was more direct in his criticism, blaming the incident on a nexus of illegal construction and administrative negligence. “There is illegal construction happening everywhere in Kolkata. You see markets, hotels, and storages stacked on top of each other with little regard for building codes. The government’s corruption enables this. This tragedy is the result of that failure,” Ghosh tsaid.
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Background: A Pattern of Fire Disasters in Kolkata
This latest tragedy adds to a growing list of fire-related disasters in the city, many of which have been linked to lax enforcement of safety norms and unchecked construction practices. In March 2021, a major fire at the Eastern Railway office at the New Koilaghat building near Strand Road killed nine people, including fire officials. Investigations had revealed that emergency exits were locked and fire drills had not been conducted.
Similarly, in December 2011, a fire at the AMRI Hospital in South Kolkata killed 92 people, mostly patients who were unable to escape. That incident had led to arrests and temporary license suspensions, but critics say little has changed in terms of broader reform.
Urban planners and safety experts have repeatedly warned that dense, unregulated construction in Kolkata’s older areas has created a tinderbox-like situation, with little room for evacuation and poor access for emergency services. Reports from the West Bengal Fire and Emergency Services have highlighted that many establishments fail routine fire inspections or do not comply with follow-up notices.
The Road Ahead
As grieving families identify the victims and officials begin damage assessment, pressure is mounting on the West Bengal government to take concrete action. The SIT’s findings are expected to be made public in the coming weeks, and legal action may follow if negligence or criminal liability is established.
In the meantime, Kolkata’s residents are once again left to question how many more lives must be lost before safety takes precedence over profit and politics.
