A fire broke out in a budget hotel in Kolkata early Wednesday morning, resulting in at least nine deaths and the evacuation of around 30 people. The exact cause remains under investigation.

A major fire at a hotel in Kolkata's central district claimed at least nine lives early Wednesday morning, according to local authorities. The blaze erupted around 2:50 AM on the second floor of the budget accommodation and was brought under control within an hour, a senior police officer told Reuters. Among the casualties was a child, with six men and two women also confirmed dead.

Around 30 people were successfully evacuated from the building during the incident. Fire services director Anuj Sharma noted that thick smoke filled the hotel, with some victims discovered in bathrooms. Nine additional individuals—six men, two women, and a child—were rescued and hospitalized. While the exact cause remains under investigation, preliminary findings suggest an air conditioner malfunction or electrical short circuiting may have triggered the fire, though authorities have not yet confirmed this definitively.

Reports regarding the nationalities of those killed have differed among sources. News agency ANI reported that some of the deceased were Bangladeshi citizens who had traveled to Kolkata for medical treatment, while NDTV claimed all nine victims were Bangladeshi nationals. However, the senior police official who spoke to Reuters indicated that the nationalities of the deceased had not yet been established. The hotel, situated in a congested commercial area, is known for providing budget lodging and dining facilities.