Kolkata, Oct 27 (IANS) A fire broke out at a luxury hotel in West Bengal’s Birbhum district early Tuesday, triggering panic among guests at the popular pilgrimage destination of Tarapith.
However, a major disaster was averted after firefighters and the police reached the spot promptly and brought the blaze under control. No casualties were reported in the incident.
The fire broke out in a room on the second floor of the hotel at around 4 a.m. An investigation has been launched to establish the exact cause of the incident and assess the extent of the damage.
The hotel is a private luxury property spread across a large area along the road connecting Rampurhat with Tarapith. The hotel’s open surroundings helped emergency personnel reach the spot quickly after receiving information about the fire.
According to preliminary findings by the fire department, the blaze originated in the bed of room number 201 on the second floor. Thick black smoke soon engulfed the area and spread to other rooms, causing alarm among guests and people nearby.
A fire engine and police personnel rushed to the hotel following the alert. Firefighters worked to contain the blaze before it could spread further. The administration said there was no damage to the hotel’s occupants, and no injuries or deaths were reported.
Although the fire was brought under control, the extent of the property damage is yet to be determined. Officials are examining whether an electrical short circuit triggered the blaze or whether another factor was responsible.
Fire department personnel are also checking whether the hotel had adequate fire safety arrangements and whether its firefighting equipment was properly installed and functional.
The incident has revived memories of a deadly hotel fire in Tarapith in August, when nine people lost their lives. The latest incident has once again raised concerns about fire safety at hotels and lodges in the pilgrimage town, which attracts large numbers of visitors.
Following the August tragedy, another fire broke out in the kitchen of a hotel in Rampurhat, also in Birbhum district. That incident did not result in any casualties.
In the wake of these incidents, the district administration had inspected hotels across the district to assess their safety arrangements. Authorities had also ordered the closure of some establishments over safety concerns.
Tuesday’s fire, occurring within a few months of the earlier incidents, has renewed scrutiny of fire prevention measures at private hotels in the region. The investigation is expected to establish the cause of the blaze and determine whether the hotel complied with the prescribed fire safety requirements.
–IANS
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