At least 15 people, including two children and a woman, have died after a fire broke out at a hotel in Kolkata, India, on Tuesday evening.
The fire started at the Rituraj Hotel, a budget hotel located in a busy commercial area in central Kolkata. Police said the hotel had 88 guests at the time.
According to Kolkata police chief Manoj Verma, several people were rescued from their rooms and from the rooftop.
“The hotel turned into a gas chamber and it appears that many people suffocated to death,” Verma said. “The death toll has risen to 15. We are investigating to know what caused the fire.”
He added that about 12 people had burn injuries and were receiving treatment.
Videos shared by local media showed flames shooting out of the hotel windows. Some guests were seen climbing out of windows and standing on ledges to escape the smoke and heat. One man reportedly died after jumping from the roof while trying to flee.
Verma confirmed that the fire had been brought under control and said, “Cooling operations are underway.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his sympathy with the victims’ families.
“May the injured recover soon,” a statement from his office read.
Fires like this are common in India due to poor safety measures and lack of proper fire equipment. In a similar case last year, six people died in a hotel fire in Patna, Bihar State.
Kolkata is the capital of West Bengal and home to over 15 million people.
