At least nine killed and six injured in hotel fire in eastern India

At least nine people were killed and six injured after a fire broke out at a hotel in Kolkata, in India’s West Bengal state early on Wednesday, according to police.

"Nine people were killed, including a child, in the fire that broke out early on Wednesday," Anuj Sharma, the fire services director of West Bengal state, told AFP.

"Thick smoke enveloped the hotel. Some victims were found in the bathrooms."

Five fire engines were sent to the scene, as police and disaster management teams worked to rescue people from the building. Those injured were taken to a nearby hospital.

Firefighters struggled to reach people trapped on the upper floors, according to a police officer. The blaze was later brought under control.

Authorities said rescue efforts remained their priority, while an investigation into the cause of the fire was under way.

Some of the victims were believed to be Bangladeshi nationals who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment, according to Santosh Pathak, a member of West Bengal’s ruling party.

"We are trying to confirm the nationality of the victims," he told reporters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "extremely pained" to learn about the loss of life.

"May the injured recover at the earliest. The local administration is assisting those who are affected," he said in a social media post.

On Monday, a blaze at a hotel in West Bengal’s temple town of Tarapith left at least seven people dead and several others critically injured.

In December, at least 25 people were killed after a fire ripped through a popular nightclub in western Goa state.