A tragic accident took place in the famous Tarapith of Birbhum district of West Bengal in the early hours of Monday. A massive fire broke out at around 4:30 in the morning in the four-storey Hotel Bideshini, located at a short distance from Tarapith Police Station. Most of the guests were fast asleep at the time of the incident. At least seven people died in the accident, while many others are said to be seriously injured. The fire started from the reception area on the ground floor of the hotel and within no time the poisonous smoke spread to the upper floors.
According to officials, seven people died of suffocation due to smoke emanating from burning false ceiling, fiberglass and other flammable materials. As soon as information about the fire was received, fire brigade teams reached the spot and started the rescue operation. The injured were taken to Rampurhat Government Medical College and Hospital.
Couldn’t the way be found after the fire?
It was told that most of the people staying in the hotel were sleeping at the time of the fire. Some guests woke up after the sudden spread of smoke, but due to the dense smoke they had trouble finding their way out. According to officials, the smoke rising from the fire in the lower part of the hotel quickly reached the upper floors. Due to this, it became difficult for the people trapped inside to breathe and many people became unconscious before coming out.
As soon as information about the incident was received, firemen reached the hotel. Along with extinguishing the fire, the team carried out an operation to rescue the people trapped inside. The rescued injured were immediately taken to the hospital, where their treatment is ongoing. Officials have started assessing the damage caused to the hotel. Also, investigation is being done to find out the actual cause of the fire.
How did the fire start?
Initially, the hotel management has cited electrical short circuit as the possible cause of the fire. However, officials have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the fire. After the incident, the security arrangements of the hotel have also come under question. According to officials, the hotel did not have adequate fire safety equipment to detect and control the fire or its availability was extremely limited.
What did the young man who survived the accident say?
Describing the horror of the incident, Munmun Mandal, a guest who survived the accident, said, “Suddenly the entire hotel was filled with smoke. We were not able to breathe and were not able to find a way to escape immediately.” From his statement it can be estimated how fast the smoke spread inside the hotel after the fire and what kind of difficulties the guests had to face in coming out.
Was there no fire safety system in the hotel?
Serious questions have been raised regarding safety standards after it came to light that there were no adequate arrangements in the hotel to prevent fire and deal with emergencies. Now the administration is investigating the arrangements related to fire safety in the hotel. Also, efforts are being made to find out what caused the fire and whether the prescribed safety standards were being followed in the hotel.