- Guests recounted harrowing moments of being trapped in dense smoke with little hope of escape from the dilapidated building.
- Many claimed that there were no fire alarm or safety equipment in place at the establishment.
- A local resident described the situation as horrific, saying people trapped inside the building continued to cry for help amid the blaze, stating, "It was like a scene from a horror movie,".
- The resident claimed the hotel had only one entrance leading to the staircase, making it difficult for people to escape during the fire.
- Ejaz Ahmed, a Birbhum resident, credited the fire brigade personnel with saving his life, stating, "I was helped by two fire brigade officials in coming down from the upper floors and out of the building to safety, as I was trying to find my way out in the darkness,".
- Meena Devi, who lives in a flat on an upper floor of the affected building, alleged that the premises lacked adequate fire safety arrangements, stating, "We were brought out by the fire brigade personnel and the staff of one of the several hotels operating from the building, amid dense smoke,".
A fire broke out around 2 am on Wednesday in a Kolkata hotel, resulting in the tragic deaths of nine individuals, including a four-year-old child and two women. Survivors described the harrowing experience of escaping through dense smoke in a building lacking adequate safety measures.1
Eyewitness accounts reveal a chaotic scene, with many guests trapped and crying for help. A local resident described it as "like a scene from a horror movie," highlighting the desperation of those inside.
Survivor Ejaz Ahmed, who checked into the hotel the previous evening, credited fire brigade personnel for his escape, stating, "I was helped by two fire brigade officials in coming down from the upper floors and out of the building to safety, as I was trying to find my way out in the darkness." Meena Devi, another survivor, echoed concerns about the building's safety, claiming it lacked adequate fire safety arrangements.6789
Many guests reported that the hotel had only one entrance leading to the staircase, complicating escape efforts during the fire. The absence of fire alarms and safety equipment has raised serious questions about the establishment's compliance with safety regulations, prompting calls for a thorough investigation into the incident.5
“Many guests reported that the hotel had no fire alarms or safety equipment, complicating their escape. Local resident Meena Devi alleged that the premises lacked adequate fire safety arrangements, stating, 'We were brought out by the fire brigade personnel and the staff of one of the several hotels operating from the building, amid dense smoke.'”
