Kolkata Mirza Ghalib Street hotel fire kills 9, injures 6

India Aug 19, 2026

A tragic fire hit a five-story building packed with hotels on Mirza Ghalib Street, Kolkata, in the early hours of Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026.

Nine people, including a child and two women, lost their lives, and six others were hurt.

Thanks to the quick work of firefighters nearby, around 80 people were rescued within minutes of the alarm.

Kaushik Chowdhury cites asphyxia, audits planned

Most victims appeared to have died from asphyxia because the rooms had no windows, according to Fire Minister Kaushik Chowdhury.

The state government is now launching fire safety audits across West Bengal to prevent this from happening again.