Kolkata, May 1– West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday visited the Hotel Rituraj fire site in Burra Bazar, Kolkata, where a massive blaze claimed 14 lives on April 29. The victims included 11 men, a woman, and two children.
During her visit, Banerjee announced the formation of a committee to investigate the incident and confirmed the arrest of the hotel owner and manager. She warned that any local political or administrative figures found complicit in safety violations would also face consequences:
“No one will be spared.”
Fire officials revealed that the building’s fire safety systems were non-functional, with sprinklers, alarms, and detectors all defunct. Director General of Fire and Emergency Services Ranvir Kumar reported that flammable materials like plywood were stored during ongoing renovation work, which likely accelerated the spread of the fire, especially through blocked stairwells.
Although the hotel had obtained a Fire Safety Certificate (FSC) in 2016, it had not renewed it in the past three years. An FIR has been lodged, and a special investigation team has been constituted by Kolkata Police to determine the cause and any lapses.
Chief Minister Banerjee also announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh for the families of each deceased. In a post on X, she expressed condolences and said she had personally monitored the rescue operations throughout the night.
At the time of the fire, the hotel had 88 guests and 60 staff members. Eight of the 14 victims have been identified, while 13 others were injured, with one still hospitalised.