India: At least 15 dead in Calcutta hotel fire

At least 15 people died in a fire at a hotel in Kolkata , northeast India, police announced on Wednesday, April 30.

"Several people were rescued from the rooms and from the roof of the hotel," Kolkata police chief Manoj Verma told reporters.

The fire broke out Tuesday evening, is now under control, and has caused "at least 15 victims," ​​he added.

Building fires are common in India due to a lack of equipment to prevent them and widespread disregard for safety regulations.

According to the Press Trust of India, which filmed footage of the burning hotel, "several people were seen trying to escape through the windows and narrow eaves of the building."

According to the Calcutta newspaper The Telegraph , at least one person died after "jumping from the terrace while trying to escape."