A pall of sorrow descended over Kolkata on Tuesday evening as a devastating fire engulfed the Rituraj Hotel in Burrabazar, claiming at least 14 lives and leaving several others injured. The tragic incident unfolded around 8:15 PM at the bustling heart of the city’s commercial nerve center—6 Madan Mohan Burman Street, adjacent to the Machua Fruit Market in the densely packed Raja Katra area.
According to eyewitnesses, chaos erupted almost instantly as flames and thick black smoke began pouring out of the multistory building, catching many residents and hotel guests off guard. Some screamed for help from windows while others tried to escape through the narrow staircases, often blocked or poorly lit. The fire quickly spread across several floors, trapping people inside and sending passersby into a frenzy.
Fire and emergency services promptly dispatched ten fire tenders to the location. Firefighters faced enormous challenges in navigating the cramped and congested bylanes of Burrabazar—a warren of shops, warehouses, and aged residential structures—significantly hampering rescue and containment efforts. It took hours to bring the inferno under control, during which time many lives were lost, and several people sustained serious burn injuries and smoke inhalation.
Preliminary assessments suggest that the fire may have been sparked by a short circuit, although the exact cause remains unconfirmed pending a thorough investigation. The authorities, including the Kolkata Fire Department and local police, are continuing their work at the site, which now resembles a charred skeleton of the once-bustling hotel.
“This is a tragic loss of innocent lives. We have launched a full investigation and are examining whether there was any breach of fire safety protocols. If any negligence is found, strict action will be taken against those responsible,” stated a senior fire department official.
Among the dead are both hotel staff and guests, with identification proving difficult due to the severity of burns in several cases. Rescue operations extended late into the night as emergency personnel combed through the smoldering ruins in search of survivors or additional victims.
The fire at Rituraj Hotel has once again brought to the fore the perilous state of fire safety compliance in Kolkata’s older commercial and residential quarters. Burrabazar, known for its high density and aged infrastructure, has long been flagged by safety experts for its vulnerability to such disasters. Many buildings in the area lack proper fire exits, sprinklers, and electrical maintenance—creating a tinderbox situation, especially during summer months when electrical overloads are common.
Grief has gripped the city, with families anxiously crowding outside hospitals and morgues for news of their loved ones. Civic bodies and NGOs have mobilized to provide assistance to the survivors, while the state government has promised compensation to the victims’ families and vowed to reassess fire preparedness in the city.
Public outrage and sorrow have flooded social media, with many citizens demanding stricter regulations and enforcement. As Kolkata mourns the loss of 14 lives in one of the city’s most harrowing fire disasters in recent years, the focus now shifts to accountability, reform, and preventing such tragedies in the future.
