Ammon News - At least nine people were killed, including a child, in a fire at a ​hotel in India's eastern city of Kolkata ‌on Wednesday, local police said.

The fire broke out at around 2:50 a.m. local time on the ​second floor of the hotel building and ​was brought under control within an hour, ⁠a senior police officer told Reuters.

Around ​30 people were evacuated safely in the incident, ​which may have been triggered by electrical short circuiting, the officer said.
The exact cause of the blaze ​is yet to be ascertained, he added.

Local ​media reported injuries, with at least six wounded undergoing hospital ‌treatment.

News ⁠agency ANI, in which Reuters has a minority stake, reported citing the fire department, that among the dead were Bangladeshi citizens ​who were in ​Kolkata to ⁠seek medical treatment.

NDTV reported all nine dead were Bangladeshis.

The senior police ​official Reuters spoke to, however, said ​the ⁠nationalities of those killed were yet to be ascertained.

The hotel is located in a congested ⁠area ​in central Kolkata and ​is known for budget accommodations and restaurants.


Reuters