Kolkata's Blaze: Safety Neglect Ignites Tragedy at Rituraj Hotel

A fire at the Rituraj Hotel in Kolkata resulted in the deaths of 14 people due to safety negligence. The tragedy sparked memories of previous disasters and led to governmental promises of financial aid. An investigation is underway to explore the causes and violations contributing to the incident.

The recent fire tragedy at Rituraj Hotel in Kolkata's Burrabazar area, which claimed 14 lives, has drawn sharp criticism over neglect of mandatory firefighting measures and exposed significant lapses by the authorities. This incident is reminiscent of previous deadly fires, raising concerns over recurring safety violations.

The fire, initiated in an ill-equipped venue, turned the six-storey hotel into a death trap on Tuesday evening. The victims, many suffocated by smoke, were identified as visitors from various Indian states. Despite the firefighters' efforts, the catastrophe highlighted glaring fire safety oversights and structural faults in the premises.

Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced financial aid for the affected families. In the aftermath, a Special Investigation Team has been tasked with probing the causes of the fire, amidst political blame games over long-ignored safety violations and inadequate enforcement of regulations.

(With inputs from agencies.)