India hotel fire kills at least 14 tourists as tragedy 'anguishes' nation

At least 14 tourists have died following a at a hotel in .

Desperate guests at the Rituraj Hotel in central Kolkata were seen scrambling to evacuate the building, with some trying to escape through the windows and narrow ledges as the flames took hold. The fire started at around 8.15pm on Tuesday (12.45am Wednesday in UK) and raged through the night in the city in eastern India.

Manoj Kumar Verma, Kolkata Police Commissioner, said: "Fourteen bodies have been recovered, and several people have been rescued by the teams. The fire is under control, and rescue is underway. Further investigation is underway. A special team has also been formed for the investigation."

Six fire engines dashed to the hotel when smoke was seen billowing into the sky on Tuesday night. The cause of the fire is yet to be established.

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Photos and videos published by publications in Indian show people trying to flee the burning building, which is near the Hooghly River in the historic Jorasanko area of the city centre.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X that he was "anguished" by the loss of lives in the fire. The tweet read: "Anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire in Kolkata. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon." The nationalities of the tourists have not yet been disclosed to reporters.

Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar had earlier urged the state administration to rescue the victims. He had called for "stricter monitoring" of fire safety measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future.

"I urge the state administration to immediately rescue those affected, ensure their safety, and provide them with necessary medical and humanitarian assistance. Additionally, I appeal for a thorough review and stricter monitoring of fire safety measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future," the politician said in a post on X.

But fires are common in India, where builders and residents often flout building laws and safety codes. Activists say builders often cut corners on safety to save costs and have accused civic authorities of negligence and apathy. In 2022, at least 27 people were killed when a tore though a four-story commercial building in New Delhi.

And suffered in a fire at a hospital in Jhansi. Hospital workers were able to break in and rescue 44 infants from the flames, but at least 10 died in the horror in November last year. Initial reports from the fire, which broke out at Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College Hospital on Friday night, blamed an electrical fault.