Kolkata hotel fire: Leaseholder arrested after nine deaths, including child

The leaseholder of Hotel Shikha Inn in Kolkata where a massive fire claimed the lives of nine people including a child has been arrested police officials saidThe accused has been identified as Abu Zafar who held the lease for the hotel located on Mirza Ghalib Street Kolkata Police said he was arrested from Entally Main Market as investigators began probing the circumstances surrounding the deadly blazeTwo hotel staff members have also been detained for questioning as part of the investigationPolice form SIT to probe fireThe fire broke out at the hotel in the early hours of Wednesday prompting a major rescue operation involving Kolkata Police the Fire Brigade and CESC personnelFollowing the incident Kolkata Police constituted a Special Investigation Team SIT to examine the circumstances that led to the fire and determine whether any lapses contributed to the deathsPolice said the first information about the blaze reached New Market Police Station at around 2 am A police team was immediately sent to the location while the Fire Brigade and CESC were alerted and directed to respondAround 60 people rescuedRescue teams faced difficult conditions inside the hotel as they worked to evacuate occupants from the buildingAccording to police approximately 60 people were rescued from the premises and moved to safety during the operationHowever nine people were found unconscious inside the building They included two women and a childThe victims were rushed to the Medical College and Hospital where doctors later declared them deadPolice said the area is currently under control with additional personnel deployed around the site The location has been secured and preserved as investigators continue collecting evidenceThe exact cause of the fire has not yet been establishedFive Bangladeshi nationals among deadThe Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata said that nine people died in the incident including five Bangladeshi nationalsAccording to the mission four of the deceased Bangladeshi nationals belonged to the same family and were residents of Kushtia while another victim was from DhakaThe identity of one other deceased person has been confirmed as an Indian national while the identities of three victims are still being establishedThe Deputy High Commission said six injured Bangladeshi nationals were subsequently discharged from hospitalOfficials from the mission are coordinating with Kolkata Police and hospitals to assist affected families A 24hour helpline has also been established for Bangladeshi nationals seeking information or assistance following the incidentThe deadly fire has also raised questions over the safety arrangements and licensing of hotels operating in the buildingWest Bengal Minister Agnimitra Paul who visited the site said the state government was considering forming a team to inspect hotels across Kolkata and verify whether they have the required permits and fire licencesPaul said around 10 hotels were operating across three floors of the building with several small rooms and narrow spacesShe indicated that such arrangements could raise serious safety concerns particularly during an emergency when occupants need to evacuate quicklyThe administration is expected to examine whether the hotel and other establishments operating in the building complied with firesafety and licensing requirementsInvestigation continuesWith the leaseholder now arrested and hotel employees being questioned investigators are expected to examine the buildings layout firesafety arrangements permissions occupancy details and circumstances surrounding the outbreakAuthorities are also expected to establish how the fire spread and why nine people were unable to escape despite the largescale rescue operationThe cause of the blaze remains under investigation while the secured site is being examined by the authorities as part of the probeWith inputs from ANI