At least nine Bangladeshi nationals have lost their lives following a devastating blaze that swept through a commercial and residential building on Mirza Ghalib Street in Kolkata’s bustling New Market district. Authorities confirmed that the deceased comprise six men, two women, and a child. The victims had travelled from Bangladesh to the West Bengal capital primarily for business dealings and specialized medical treatment.
The fire broke out shortly before 2:00 am on Wednesday, 19 August, rapidly sending thick, suffocating smoke through the upper corridors of the multi-storey property.
Survivors recounted moments of sheer terror as they struggled to escape the inferno. Mohammad Ashraful Jamal, a businessman from Gazipur who was staying on the fourth floor with his brother, described waking up to frantic screams. Opening their bedroom door revealed hallways choked with dense black smoke, blocking all downward escape routes. In desperation, Jamal and around two dozen guests navigated through the blinded, smoke-filled corridors to reach the roof, seeking refuge beside the building’s water tanks until fire crews arrived.
Another survivor, Mohammad Nazmul Sarkar from Dhaka, who was visiting Kolkata for cardiac treatment, described the terrifying ordeal of nearly suffocating. He recounted how guests had to negotiate a narrow, metallic staircase leading to the roof one by one in complete darkness, using only mobile phone torches to navigate as visibility dropped to zero.
Several boarders expressed sharp criticism regarding the hotel management’s response, accusing staff of negligence and pointing to an absence of adequate fire suppression equipment. However, experiences varied across the premises. Kawsar Hossain, who was staying in a ground-floor unit with his family, noted that hotel employees actively banged on doors to alert guests, allowing his family to evacuate safely, though they later had to re-enter the smoke-filled building to retrieve essential travel documents.
Kolkata fire services and local police eventually managed to bring the blaze under control and rescue trapped occupants. Investigations into the exact cause of the fire and safety compliance at the premises remain ongoing.
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