Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 30 : Following the massive fire at a hotel in Kolkata's Machhua area on Tuesday night that claimed 14 lives, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dilip Ghosh has hit out at the West Bengal government, alleging rampant corruption and negligence in implementing fire safety norms.
Speaking to reporters after the recovery of the bodies from the charred premises near Falapatti Machhua, Ghosh said such incidents were not new in the state and highlighted the lack of proper fire safety certifications and unchecked illegal construction.
"This has happened before in Bengal. No one takes a fire certificate here. There are no safety measures. There is so much corruption in the government, illegal construction takes place, and markets are built everywhere, and then such incidents happen, and there is a loss of life. The government will have to be more serious...," he stated while speaking to reporters.
Meanwhile, in response to the tragedy Kolkata Police has formed a special investigation team to determine the cause of fire and probe possible lapses in safety norms.
At the time of the incident, the hotel had 88 boarders accommodated in 42 rooms and was staffed by 60 employees.
According to Kolkata police, the deceased include 11 men, one woman, one boy, and one girl. Of the 14 bodies recovered from the site, eight have been identified so far. Thirteen people sustained injuries, of whom 12 have been treated and discharged, while one person remains hospitalized.
Earlier, Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar had urged the State administration to rescue the affected immediately, and called for "stricter monitoring" of fire safety measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future.
"I urge the state administration to immediately rescue those affected, ensure their safety, and provide them with necessary medical and humanitarian assistance. Additionally, I appeal for a thorough review and stricter monitoring of fire safety measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future," he said in a post on X.