Hotel Fire, Reports of Violated Norms Highlight Kolkata's Urban Safety Gap

Kolkata: Kolkata once again witnessed a deadly fire on Tuesday (April 29) in a hotel in the crammed and prominent bustling commercial hub of Burrabazar, which killed 14 people including two children and a woman.

Most of the 88 guests staying in the hotel’s 42 rooms were from Bihar, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand.

The blaze that erupted at around 8:15 pm in the first floor of the six-storied Rituraj Hotel in Mechhuapatti – which was reported to have highly compromised fire safety – quickly turned into an inferno that trapped people in their rooms and corridors as thick smoke filled the narrow staircase.

Of those who died in the fire, 13 died due to asphyxiation, while 40-year-old hotel staffer Sanjay Paswan died of his injuries from jumping out of the building.

M. Madhumita, the inconsolable mother of three-year-old Rithan and seven-year-old Diya who died in the fire, told The Wire: “We were staying in room number 313 on the third floor. We had a train to catch that night itself. My kids were hungry and watching TV. We [she and her husband] went to buy food and came back to see that we had lost everything.”

“Why did I leave them? What will I do now? How will I get them back?” the resident of Tamil Nadu asked, her voice choked by tears. She also lost her father in the fire.

The Kolkata police on Thursday arrested Rituraj’s owner Akash Chawla and manager Gaurav Kapoor in connection with the incident. They both were taken into custody the same day.

Authorities confirmed that a suo motu case has been filed at the Jorasanko police station invoking several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including provisions related to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, along with violations under the West Bengal Fire Services Act.

Most fruit shops in the area were closed for two days after the incident and opened starting May 2.

A tangle of wires hangs over a road in the Burrabazar area. Photo: Joymala Bagchi.

Probe shows hotel had flouted all major fire safety regulations

Vijay Kumar Kesri, 48, an eyewitness, said: “We were sitting in our shop when we first saw thick black smoke coming out from the kitchen chimney on the first floor. We could not understand at first, but then saw smoke from the windows and people screaming for help. I saw a man jump from the hotel, although many standing on the road asked him not to. He succumbed.

“All came together to help. Many here rushed to the hospital, carrying the injured by rickshaw van.”

Raju, a fruit seller whose shop is opposite the now-sealed Rituraj Hotel, said: “The situation of the houses here and the condition of the wiring system are pathetic. Everyone [leaders and officials] comes, takes a look and leaves – it's always the weak who die. The century-old buildings, narrow lanes and hanging wires make it worse. Many times a short circuit happens, but unless it’s on a large scale, nobody gets to know other than the people staying here.”

Rohit, the owner of an eatery opposite the hotel, rushed to help the victims after seeing thick smoke. He said: “We all came together to help them. It was a heart-wrenching situation. Some of us called the police, others ambulances and the fire brigade.”

While speaking about the situation of the entire Burrabazar area, Rohit asked: “Look at the situation here, look at the buildings, the wiring. Who is there to help us if something happens? The leaders come after every big incident and leave, while common people are left to die. Just look how dirty the entire area is. Who will say anything and, more importantly, who is going to listen and act on it? Safety and security should be the priority.”

The ongoing investigation indicates that the hotel flouted all major fire safety regulations. Authorities identified the absence of functional fire suppression systems, blocked emergency exits, windows blocked with bricks, the absence of a proper ventilation channel, a no-objection fire safety certificate that had expired two years ago, and stairs that had turned into a death trap during the fire.

A special investigation team has been formed to probe the incident.

‘Laws to ensure safety exist, but the real question lies in their enforcement’

Mechhuapatti in Burrabazar, one of India’s largest fruit markets, has been a vital trading hub for over a century.

Located in the heart of Kolkata, the area also faces significant infrastructural challenges.

Many buildings in the Burrabazar area are over 100 years old and are visibly in a dilapidated condition. These congested structures are often within narrow lanes, which make movement difficult, especially during peak trading hours.

The market is criss-crossed by an extensive network of overhead electrical wiring – cables hang precariously over roads, coil around building exteriors and in some cases block or emerge from residential entrances.

Moreover, the rampant use of residential buildings for commercial activities significantly increases the risk of fire incidents.

An over-century-old building in the Burrabazar area. Photo: Joymala Bagchi.

These hazardous setups pose significant safety risks and underscore the urgent need for modern urban infrastructure and mandatory regulatory intervention.

Parthapratim Biswas, a professor with the construction engineering department at Jadavpur University, told The Wire that among the areas where building and population density are very high and which have grown in an unplanned manner is central Kolkata and its neighbourhoods like Bowbazar and Burrabazar, including Mecchuapatti.

He continued: “This area falls under a high-risk fire hazard zone. The buildings here have developed in an unplanned way. The space between two buildings in many cases doesn’t even exist and there is hardly any proper space for fire engines to enter those narrow lanes. The electrical wiring is also ages-old and there is almost zero monitoring of electrical infrastructure. The old buildings were not constructed following any fire safety standards because then, fire safety norms were not stringent.

“If smoke detectors and a fire alarm were in place, the alarm would have gone off and the people trapped inside [Rituraj Hotel] could have evacuated within five minutes. No one would have died from suffocation. Unfortunately, the hotel continues to operate as a commercial establishment without any fire safety measures. There are no smoke detectors, no water sprinkling system, no fire alarm and no multiple exits, [flouting] all basic safety provisions. Yet it runs openly in Kolkata and even pays taxes.”

Noting that it is the primary responsibility of the state fire department and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to ensure safe living, Biswas pointed out that while laws exist to ensure safety, the real question lies in their enforcement.

He suggested that the city be classified into red, blue and green zones based on their fire hazard levels and that the red zones, being the most vulnerable to fires, require stricter regulation and enforcement efforts.

Major fire incidents in the Burrabazar area

Over the years, major fires have recurred in this densely packed commercial zone, often fuelled by its congested layout, aging infrastructure and a tangled web of electrical wiring.

On January 12, 2008, a massive fire devastated Burrabazar's Nandaram Market, destroying around 4,000 shops and causing significant property damage. The cause of the fire is believed to have been a short-circuit in a garment godown.

On July 7, 2012, a fire broke out on the second floor of a four-story building in Burrabazar that housed a textile godown and offices.

A major fire erupted on February 27, 2017 in a century-old building near Bagri Market that housed several godowns with inflammable materials. The cause of the fire was suspected to be a short circuit.

The entrance to the now-sealed Rituraj Hotel. Photo: Joymala Bagchi.

On September 16, 2018, a major fire flared up in the Bagri Market just before Durga Puja, which affected around 500 traders and caused losses estimated to be between Rs 200 and 500 crore. The fire was reportedly exacerbated by the presence of large quantities of inflammable goods, inadequate fire safety measures and the congested nature of the area.

On February 10, 2019, a fire engulfed a garment warehouse on the first floor of a building in Armenian Street in Burrabazar. Reports stated that the fire was worsened by factors like the warehouse’s being located in a narrow passage, poorly maintained cables and residential buildings being used for commercial purposes.

Such recurring incidents highlight the urgent need for fire safety measures and infrastructural upgrades in Kolkata’s vital yet vulnerable Burrabazar.

Two of the 14 deceased from Tuesday’s incident remained unidentified. The West Bengal government will give an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased person, while injured persons will get Rs 50,000 each.

Additionally, the next of kin will also receive Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund, while injured persons will be given Rs 50,000, the Prime Minister’s Office announced.

While Kolkata witnesses rapid strides in urban development, with new flyovers, skywalks, auditoriums and modern buildings reshaping the cityscape, areas like Burrabazar continue to stand in stark contrast.

Here, the progress fades against a backdrop of crumbling infrastructure, fire risks and glaring safety lapses, exposing a deep urban divide that calls for urgent attention, inclusive monitoring and planning.

Joymala Bagchi is an independent journalist.

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