Why do the survivors describe the Kolkata hotel fire as ‘a scene from a horror movie’?

The guests on Mirza Ghalib Street, Kolkata, witnessed a horror movie in front of their eyes. The devastating Kolkata hotel fire, which broke out at the hotel, claimed nine lives before seeing the light of day. Fumes of dark smoke engulfed the second and third floors of the building, which came under the perimeter of the fire.

Survivors describe their experience with hell

The survivors told PTI that there were no fire alarms in the establishment, nor was there any sign of adequate safety equipment in place. The fire claimed the lives of nine people, which included a four-year-old child and two women.

“The fire brigade arrived hastily, which helped save the lives of 80 people,” says the West Bengal fire and emergency services department minister Kaushik Chowdhury.

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The PTI noted a resident of Bangladesh who was residing in the hotel that came under fire mentioned approaching the staff, who were fast asleep when the fire broke out around 2 am. The man from Bangladesh had to give up all his belongings to get to a safer place.

Survivors thank the fire brigade for their prompt arrival

Ejaj Ahmed, a resident of Birbhum, thanked the fire brigade for arriving without any haste. He checked in at the hotel on Tuesday; it was with the help of the fire brigade personnel that he got his life saved, per The Times of India.

“I was helped by two fire brigade personnel when I was coming down from the upper floors and ran out of the building to safety, in the midst of the darkness,” Ahmed said. A resident described the situation as horrific, mentioning people caught inside the building pleading for help.

“It was like a scene from a horror movie,” he said.
He mentioned only one entrance to the hotel, which leads to the staircase, making the situation worse.

What are the key takeaways from the incident?

While the flames themselves were not highly intense, the fire produced thick black smoke that caused severe breathing difficulties. Fire officials highlighted severe ventilation failures as a major concern. Each floor housed a hotel or guest house featuring small rooms, narrow passages, and difficult escape routes.

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The fire began on the third floor, and dense smoke quickly filled the building’s staircase. This not only trapped the occupants but also made it extremely difficult for firefighters to reach and rescue people on the upper floors. The building management allegedly failed to comply with fundamental safety and construction norms.