New Delhi, August 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed deep grief over the loss of lives in a devastating fire in Kolkata and extended his condolences to the families of the victims. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured and said the local administration was providing assistance to people affected by the tragedy.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, “Extremely pained to learn about the loss of lives due to a fire mishap in Kolkata. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this tragedy. May the injured recover at the earliest. The local administration is assisting those who are affected.”

The fire broke out at a hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street in the early hours of Wednesday, claiming the lives of nine people, including a child. Around 60 others were rescued from the building during a prolonged operation involving the Fire Brigade and Kolkata Police.

Following the tragedy, Kolkata Police formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident and determine the cause of the blaze.

According to police, information about the fire was received at New Market Police Station at around 2 am. A police team rushed to the spot immediately, while the Fire Brigade and CESC authorities were alerted for urgent action.

During the rescue operation, around 60 people were brought out of the burning building and taken to safety. Nine people, including two women and a child, were found unconscious and rushed to the Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared them brought dead.

West Bengal Minister Agnimitra Paul, who visited the site, said the government was considering a comprehensive inspection of hotels across the city to verify whether they possess valid permits and fire safety licences.

She raised concerns over the alleged operation of multiple hotels from different floors of the same building, with several small rooms packed into the premises.

“We are planning to form a team to check whether the hotels have valid permits and fire licences. Ten hotels are being run across three floors of a single building, with small rooms. This cannot be allowed,” Paul told reporters, adding that strict action would be taken following the investigation.

Police said the situation in the area was peaceful and under control, with adequate security personnel deployed at the site. The premises have been secured and preserved for the investigation, while further legal action is underway.

The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

The incident comes just two days after another deadly hotel fire in West Bengal. On Monday, eight people were killed and several others injured in a blaze at a hotel in Tarapith in Birbhum district, with officials suspecting that a short circuit may have triggered the fire.