Fire Mishap in Kolkata: Hotel Structure Lacked Essential Fire Safety Measures; Owner Unaccounted For
Flames Ravage Kolkata Hotel, Tragedy Unfolds
In the heart of Kolkata on Wednesday, a six-storey hotel blaze claimed the lives of 14 individuals, leaving behind a trail of questions about the hotel's apparent disregard for fire safety measures. The hotel's owner seems to have vanished following the fire's outbreak on Tuesday night, with the hotel staff equally clueless about his whereabouts.
Initial probe results expose three critical flaws in the hotel's safety protocol: insufficient firefighting apparatus, poor ventilation, and limited entry and exit points.
A state fire services department official shared, "Most of the casualties were due to smoke inhalation, not burns. The hotel's poor ventilation made it a death trap." The single entry-cum-exit point posed another threat to the safety of the guests and staff. As a local resident noted, "Ideally, at least two exits should have been available. More lives might have been saved."
Furthermore, the hotel lacked adequate internal firefighting systems, including a water reservoir for emergencies. The official lamented, "There was a pipeline, but the reservoir was empty. If it had been filled, the staff could have begun extinguishing efforts before the fire trucks arrived."
The fire services minister, Sujit Bose, acknowledged these shortcomings, stating, "The hotel authorities ignored crucial safety measures. No emergency system was in place, and the building's design itself was flawed, with minimal ventilation and smoke extraction facilities."
Political leaders and government officials have responded to the tragedy with appropriate action. State Chief Minister Banerjee is currently absent from the scene, attending the Lord Jagannath Temple's inauguration in Digha, East Midnapore district. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the deceased's families and Rs 50,000 to the injured.
India's fire safety regulations for multi-storey hotels generally adhere to the National Building Code of India (NBC) and state-specific guidelines. These include provisions for fire alarms, firefighting equipment, escape routes, emergency drills, risk assessments, and regular inspections. To strengthen enforcing these regulations following the Kolkata hotel fire, authorities have formed an SIT to probe the incident's cause and evaluate the hotel's safety measures[3][5].
Swearing under the bleak, ashen skies, it's high time the authorities crack down on hotels blatantly flouting fire safety rules, or else the same fate may befall other innocent lives. Just remember, prevention is better than grief.
- The devastating Kolkata hotel fire, which claimed 14 lives, seems to have been a result of the hotel's disregard for fire safety measures, as initial probe results reveal inadequate ventilation, insufficient firefighting apparatus, and limited entry and exit points.
- The single entry-cum-exit point in the hotel, combined with the poor ventilation, made it a deadly trap for the guests and staff, according to a state fire services department official.
- Further investigations have shown that the hotel lacked an adequately filled water reservoir for emergencies, which could have helped the staff control the fire before the fire trucks arrived.
- In the aftermath of the tragedy, political leaders and government officials have taken action, and authorities have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to evaluate the hotel's safety measures and investigate the fire's cause, with the aim of enforcing stricter fire safety regulations in Kolkata hotels.
