Kolkata hotel fire: SIT formed after 9 killed on Mirza Ghalib Street
Synopsis
Nine people — including two women and a child — died of suffocation in a Kolkata hotel fire on Mirza Ghalib Street, and the building's owners have been unreachable since the blaze. A political blame war has already erupted, with a state minister targeting CESC and the previous TMC-run KMC board over fire safety clearances, even as a five-member SIT has been formed to find answers.
Key Takeaways
A hotel fire on Mirza Ghalib Street , central Kolkata , killed nine people — including two women and a child — on 19 August .
Kolkata Police constituted a five-member SIT , to be led by a Deputy Commissioner-rank officer from the detective department.
Victims died of suffocation , not burn injuries, according to initial findings by police and the West Bengal Fire Services Department .
The building's owners and hotel operators have been unreachable since the fire broke out.
Minister Agnimitra Paul blamed CESC Limited and the previous TMC-run KMC board for granting trade licences and electricity connections without adequate fire safety checks.
Bangladeshi nationals visiting Kolkata for medical treatment may be among the deceased; identities are yet to be officially confirmed.
A five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted by Kolkata Police to probe a deadly hotel fire on Mirza Ghalib Street in central Kolkata that killed nine people — including two women and a child — on Wednesday, 19 August. Initial findings indicate the victims died of suffocation rather than burn injuries, according to the police and the West Bengal Fire Services Department.
SIT Formation and Investigation Details
Joint Commissioner (Crime) of Kolkata Police Kunal Agarwal informed reporters that the SIT will be led by a Deputy Commissioner-rank officer currently attached to the detective department of the city police. The New Market Police Station, under whose jurisdiction the building falls, has already registered a suo motu case. A separate complaint has also been filed by the state fire services department.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the identities of the nine persons killed in the blaze. The building's owners and the operators of the hotels and guest houses inside it have reportedly been unreachable since the fire broke out early on Wednesday morning, with staff claiming their mobile phones were either switched off or going unanswered.
Who Was Staying at the Hotel
The Mirza Ghalib Street area in central Kolkata is known for its cluster of budget hotels that cater to tourists from across India and abroad. A significant proportion of guests in these establishments are reportedly from neighbouring Bangladesh, many of whom visit Kolkata for medical treatment. Authorities have acknowledged the possibility that Bangladeshi nationals may be among those who perished, though identities remain unconfirmed.
Political Row Over Fire Safety Failures
State Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul, who visited the site, squarely blamed the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) administration and private power distributor CESC Limited for the tragedy. 'How could the fire services department give permission to run the hotel without a minimum fire safety arrangement in place? How could CESC Limited give electricity connection? What were the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Authorities doing? All of them should be accounted for,' Paul said.
Paul further questioned how multiple hotels and guest houses were permitted to operate from a single building and how CESC Limited allowed air-conditioning units to be installed across numerous rooms. 'How could the previous Trinamool Congress-run board in KMC grant them the trade license? All these factors will be looked into,' she added. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and CESC Limited have not yet issued a formal response to her remarks.
What the Fire Revealed About Safety Gaps
The incident has thrown a harsh spotlight on fire safety compliance — or the lack of it — in Kolkata's densely packed budget hospitality sector. That the victims died of suffocation points to inadequate ventilation and emergency egress, rather than the fire alone. Notably, this is not an isolated case: budget lodges and multi-tenanted commercial buildings in Indian cities have repeatedly featured in fire tragedies linked to absent or expired no-objection certificates from fire departments.
As the SIT begins its work, investigators are expected to scrutinise building permits, fire safety clearances, electrical load sanctions, and trade licences issued to the establishments. The identity of the deceased and the whereabouts of the building's owners are likely to be the most immediate priorities.
Point of View
Overloaded electrical circuits, and no clear evacuation routes, and enforcement action typically follows a tragedy rather than preventing one. The political blame game between the current state government and the previous KMC board is a predictable deflection; what is missing is an account of why routine inspections did not catch these violations. The SIT's credibility will hinge on whether it follows the paper trail of licences and clearances to their source, or stops at the building's owners — who are, conveniently, already incommunicado.
NationPress
19 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Kolkata hotel fire on Mirza Ghalib Street?
A fire broke out at a hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street in central Kolkata on 19 August, killing nine people including two women and a child. Initial findings indicate the victims died of suffocation rather than burn injuries.
What is the SIT formed by Kolkata Police?
Kolkata Police constituted a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the fire. It will be headed by a Deputy Commissioner-rank officer from the city police's detective department.
Who has been blamed for the fire safety failures?
State Minister Agnimitra Paul blamed CESC Limited for granting electricity connections and the previous TMC-run Kolkata Municipal Corporation board for issuing trade licences without verifying minimum fire safety arrangements. Neither CESC nor KMC has formally responded.
Are Bangladeshi nationals among the victims?
Authorities have not yet confirmed the identities of the nine deceased. However, Mirza Ghalib Street hotels are frequented by Bangladeshi nationals visiting Kolkata for medical treatment, and officials have acknowledged the possibility that some victims may be Bangladeshi citizens.
Where are the hotel owners?
The building's owner and the operators of the hotels and guest houses inside it have been unreachable since the fire broke out. Staff have reported that their phones are either switched off or going unanswered.
