Kolkata Hotel Fire Kills 9, Suvendu Blames Mamata Government

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has blamed the Mamata Banerjee government for alleged negligence following a devastating fire at a hotel near Kolkata’s New Market that killed nine people.

In a post on social media on Wednesday (August 19), Suvendu alleged that hotels and other businesses had been allowed to operate for years without adequate government oversight or mandatory fire-safety measures.

He said the incident highlighted serious lapses in the city’s infrastructure and safety arrangements. A five-member Special Investigation Team has also been formed to investigate the fire.

The blaze broke out early Wednesday at a hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street in central Kolkata. At least nine people were killed and six others injured. Several of the victims were Bangladeshi nationals who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment.

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation. Preliminary reports have pointed to possible electrical or air-conditioning-related problems, while poor ventilation and narrow exits reportedly made the rescue operation more difficult.