Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma told reporters: “The fire occurred around the office of Rituraj Hotel. 14 bodies have been recovered and several people were rescued by the convoy.”
He said the fire was under control and rescue operations were still underway.
“The fire is under control and rescue is underway. Further investigations are underway. A special team has also been set up to conduct the investigation,” he said.
The cause of the fire remains to be determined.
Earlier, the union minister and West Bengal President Sukanta Majumdar urged the state government to rescue the affected person immediately and called for “stricter monitoring” of fire safety measures to prevent such tragic events in the future.
“I urge the national government to immediately rescue affected people, ensure their safety and provide them with the necessary medical and humanitarian assistance. In addition, I call for a thorough review and stricter monitoring of fire safety measures to prevent such tragic events in the future.”
West Bengal Congress President Subhankar Sarkar reacted to the incident and also slammed the Kolkata company.
“It’s a tragic event. The fire broke out…a lot of people are still stuck in buildings. There is no security or security…I don’t know what the company is doing.”
