At least nine killed, several injured in hotel fire in India's Kolkata

ByREUTERSAUGUST 19, 2026 07:18Updated: AUGUST 19, 2026 07:33At least nine people were killed, including a child, in a fire at a hotel in India's eastern city of Kolkata on Wednesday, local police said.The fire broke out at around 2:50 a.m. local time on the second floor of the hotel building and was brought under control within an hour, a senior police officer told Reuters.Around 30 people were evacuated safely in the incident, which may have been triggered by an electrical short circuit, the officer said.The exact cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained, he added.Local media reported injuries, with at least six wounded undergoing hospital treatment.INDIA-US-DIPLOMACY The city of Kolkata is seen from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's plane on May 23, 2026. (credit: Julia Demaree Nikhinson / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)News agency ANI, in which Reuters has a minority stake, reported, citing the fire department, that among the dead were Bangladeshi citizens who were in Kolkata to seek medical treatment.NDTV reported all nine dead were Bangladeshis.Nationalities of those killed are still unknownThe senior police official Reuters spoke to, however, said the nationalities of those killed were yet to be ascertained.The hotel is located in a congested area in central Kolkata and is known for budget accommodations and restaurants.Follow us on Google