At least 14 people, including two children, died in a fire at a six-storey hotel in Kolkata, India, Indian media reported on Wednesday.
The fire broke out on Tuesday evening at the Ritraj Hotel in the Barabazar district. One person died shortly after the fire broke out, and emergency services later found 13 more bodies in various rooms of the hotel. Police believe the victims died of smoke inhalation after spending a long time in the smoke-filled hotel.
Among the dead are 11 men, one woman and two children. Eight victims have been identified so far. Local media reports that the death toll may rise.
According to police, at least 25 people were rescued from the building, some of whom are in critical condition and have been taken to nearby hospitals.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing people waving mobile phone flashlights from windows to signal for help, while others tried to climb onto the roof. Firefighters used hydraulic ladders to carry out the rescue operation with the help of local residents.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Authorities are searching for the hotel owner, who disappeared after the incident.
