Kolkata, Apr 29 (PTI) One person was killed and three others injured in a fire that broke out at a hotel in central Kolkata's Mechuapatti area on Tuesday night, police said.
The blaze was first spotted around 8.30 pm, leading to panic in the congested area in Burrabazar, they said.
Several people were seen trying to escape through the windows and narrow ledges of the building. Two people sustained injuries while trying to jump from the fourth floor.
Ten fire engines brought the blaze under control, but the emergency services faced a tough time operating in the congested area, where the largest wholesale market in eastern India is located.
Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim and Police Commissioner Manoj Verma visited the spot and oversaw the firefighting operations.
In a post on X, state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar condoled the death.
"I am deeply saddened by the tragic death of a fellow citizen, Mr. Manoj Paswan (aged 40), in a horrific fire at a hotel in the Mechua area of Kolkata's Burrabazar," he said
"Additionally, I appeal for a thorough review and more strict monitoring of fire safety measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future," he added.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, but an electrical short circuit is suspected to have triggered it, an official said.