Kolkata: A major fire broke out at a hotel in the congested Mechuapatti area of Barabazar in central Kolkata on Tuesday evening, leaving two persons seriously injured, police said.
The fire, which was noticed around 8.30 pm, prompted a massive firefighting operation, with 10 fire tenders rushed to the spot to bring the flames under control, officials said. “Till now, efforts are on to control the fire.
Two persons were injured, including one who tried to jump off the fourth floor in an attempt to escape,” a senior police officer said, at the time of filing this report.
Local news channels reported that the person who had jumped from the building died later. However, the police are yet to confirm it.
The blaze triggered panic among locals and hotel guests, many of whom were seen trying to escape through windows and ledges.
Firefighters faced difficulties in reaching the spot through the narrow lanes of Barabazar, one of Kolkata’s most congested commercial areas.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, though a short circuit is suspected, officials said.
Rescue operations were underway at the time of filing this report. The area has been cordoned off and traffic diverted.