8 pilgrims killed in Bengal's Tarapith hotel fire

 Eight people died in a fire at a hotel in West Bengal's Birbhum district early on Monday, following which police detained one person for alleged lapses in the maintenance of the establishment's fire-fighting system, officials said.

Of the 43 people who were in the hotel in the temple town of Tarapith when the fire broke out, one was undergoing treatment at a hospital, and 34 have been discharged after preliminary examination, they said.

The fire erupted around 4.30 am on the ground floor of the four-storey hotel, when most of the guests were asleep. Many of them were devotees who had come to offer prayers on the last Monday of the holy month of Shravan.

Several guests were trapped on the upper floors as thick smoke spread through the building. Fire tenders were rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control.

The injured were taken to the Rampurhat Government Medical College and Hospital. Some suffered burn injuries, while others fell ill due to asphyxiation, officials said.

Hotel officials had claimed that the fire was caused by a short circuit. It started near the hotel's reception after an electrical component of the power supply system caught fire, they said.

The exact cause of the blaze is yet to be established.

The fire spread rapidly through decorative and fibre materials inside the hotel, with smoke billowing to the upper floors and trapping several guests in their rooms.

Police have detained one person in connection with alleged lapses in maintaining the hotel's fire-fighting system, officials said.

The Birbhum district administration has announced a special audit of electrical installations and fire-fighting arrangements in hotels, lodges and other establishments in Tarapith following the incident and in view of the forthcoming Kaushiki Amavasya festival, which is expected to draw a large number of people.

The administration said it was imperative to ensure that all hotels, lodges, guest houses, homestays and other establishments accommodating pilgrims and visitors had adequate and safe electrical installations and effective fire prevention and fire-fighting arrangements.

Former West Bengal chief minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee expressed grief over the incident.

"I am deeply shocked by the sudden and tragic fire at Tarapith. I pray for the souls of those who lost their lives in this terrible tragedy and for strength for those who have been left devastated by the loss of their loved ones. I also pray for the speedy and complete recovery of those undergoing treatment," she said on X.

A woman from Kolkata, who escaped the blaze, recalled the panic inside the hotel.

"Suddenly, the entire hotel was engulfed in smoke. We could not breathe, and it was hard to find an escape route," she said.

Another guest, Tapanjyoti Mondal, said he was trapped in his room with his wife and two children for nearly 45 minutes.

"We could not come out of the door because of the blaze. Since the room had no window, they escaped through an opening near the bathroom ceiling," he said.

Mondal's mother was unconscious while his sister suffered injuries in the incident.