AC explosion suspected as nine die in latest India hotel fire disaster

KOLKATA, Aug 19 - A fire at a hotel in Kolkata, India, on Wednesday claimed at least nine lives and left several others injured, according to a senior fire department official. Anuj Sharma, the fire services director of West Bengal state, confirmed that the fire broke out early Wednesday and was accompanied by thick smoke. Some victims were found in the bathrooms, and preliminary reports suggested that an air conditioner in the budget hotel may have exploded, leading to the blaze.

Nine individuals - six men, two women, and a child - were rescued and taken to the hospital, while the exact nationalities of the victims were being confirmed by Santosh Pathak, a member of the ruling party in West Bengal. The hotel housed a total of 60 guests when the fire erupted. Building fires are alarmingly common in India, often due to a lack of firefighting equipment and routine disregard for safety regulations.