Nine die in India hotel fire

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At least nine people were killed and several others injured in a fire at a hotel in the Indian city of Kolkata on Wednesday, a senior fire department official said.

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“Nine people were killed, including a child, in the fire that broke out early on Wednesday,” Anuj Sharma, the fire services director of West Bengal state, told AFP.

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“Thick smoke enveloped the hotel. Some victims were found in the bathrooms.”

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Preliminary information suggested an air conditioner in the budget hotel may have exploded and caused the blaze, Sharma said.

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He added that nine people — six men, two women and a child — were rescued and taken to hospital.

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Some victims seemed to be Bangladeshi nationals who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment, Santosh Pathak, a member of West Bengal’s ruling party, said.

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“We are trying to confirm the nationality of the victims,” he told reporters.

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A total of 60 guests were in the hotel when the fire broke out.

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Building fires are common in India due to a lack of firefighting equipment and routine disregard for safety regulations.

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AFP

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