Kolkata: At least nine people were killed and six others injured after a massive fire broke out at a hotel in central Kolkata in the early hours of Wednesday, August 19, 2026. The blaze erupted around 2 a.m. at Hotel Shikhali, located in the Mirza Ghalib Street area, triggering a major rescue operation by firefighters and police.
According to a senior Kolkata Police official, the nine victims died due to suffocation caused by dense smoke. Firefighters managed to rescue at least 15 people from the building, while the injured were taken to Calcutta Medical College for treatment. The fire was brought under control after emergency teams reached the site.
Police initially identified all nine deceased as Bangladeshi nationals who had reportedly travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment. Authorities are yet to determine the exact cause of the fire, and an investigation is underway.
A case has been registered against the hotel owner at New Market Police Station. Fire Minister Kaushik Chowdhury also visited the site and reviewed the ongoing relief and rescue efforts.
The incident comes just two days after another deadly hotel fire in Tarapith claimed at least nine lives. Following that tragedy, 15 hotels were sealed over reported safety violations, raising fresh concerns about fire-safety compliance in smaller hotel establishments across West Bengal.
