Hotel blaze: Ashes to ashes

 Kolkata hotel fire that claimed 14 shows India continues to live dangerously

Alok Tiwari

Amid the outpouring of condemnation, vengeance, and grief over last month’s attack on tourists in Pahalgam (Kashmir), another outrageous incident almost got lost. It was the fire in a Kolkata hotel that resulted in death of 14 guests including children. The blaze ripped through the rooms of Rituraj Hotel in Kolkata’s Burrabazar area.

The congested marketplace is known for very old and dilapidated buildings standing cheek by jowl. Powerlines are tangled along and across the streets. Many buildings are difficult to access by fire fighting vehicles from the outside. Like in old areas of any Indian city, footpaths are blocked. Inside the buildings, owners and tenants have carried out modifications that have rendered the structures even more dangerous. Mostly these are without proper authorization by civic authorities or supervision by qualified architects and structural engineers. Of course, few buildings there have a functional fire alarms and firefighting system. It is among the prime examples of urban chaos prevalent in many Indian cities.

Why did the loss of 14 lives in entirely preventable manner not evoke any anger nationally? Probably because, as fire accidents go in India, Kolkata’s was relatively small one. In major fires reported across the cities, the toll is usually in dozens if not in hundreds. More importantly, unlike a terrorist attack these incidents are not seen as caused by any enemy force or outfit. These are seen as just one of those things that happen. Whom will you outrage against in case of a fire caused by an electrical short circuit or a leaking cooking gas cylinder? In this case the hotel was not even owned by a Muslim. Yes, it was in an opposition-ruled state, but the states run by ruling party are also not immune from such incidents. So, both the loud media and the troll army preferred to ignore it.

The reality is that across urban India, fire is a near constant danger. These infernos break out with disturbing regularity. They have been seen not just in hotels but also in residential buildings, gaming zones, industrial units, shopping complexes, and most heartbreakingly, even in hospitals where you would normally expect to be safest. Nor is this confined to any region. They have happened everywhere from backward state like Uttar Pradesh to relatively better off ones like Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. An Indian is far more likely to die or get hurt in a fire accident than in a terrorist attack.

Perhaps, it is time we start caring about these incidents a little more. Particularly because there is a lot that can be done about them and with relatively little cost and difficulty. Fire is essential to human existence, and it is present everywhere in modern life. Fires will always happen. What is unacceptable is the way they are allowed to spread and cause loss of lives and property. That is entirely on us and our overall lack of respect for rules and safety.

The major fire accidents are almost always the result of neglect by building occupants as well as civic authorities. Old areas and old buildings may have some excuse for not having adequate fire prevention and fighting systems. But the situation is no different in modern buildings, particularly the high-rise ones coming up virtually everywhere. These usually have fire systems installed but in most cases they are dysfunctional. They are rarely tested after installation and is no surprise they do not work when needed. The approaches meant for fire fighting vehicles and ambulances are blocked by encroachments, so are the escape routes for occupants. Staircases are either locked or filled with discarded materials, often flammable.

Things are particularly bad in places where people gather in large numbers like malls and big hospitals. Spaces meant to be left open are usually constructed over and commercially exploited. It is a rare hospital or office complex that regularly conducts fire drills and ensures fire systems and extinguishers are functioning. This is true for private as well as government buildings. Things get taken note of every time there is a major accident, but then commercial interests take priority and laxity returns.

If there is no sense of safety among citizens, there is also no regulatory accountability. It is equally the responsibility of local authorities to enforce rules. The reality is that fire departments of even major municipal bodies are hopelessly understaffed and under-equipped. They issue fire certificates to new buildings but then rarely follow up to ensure those buildings remain safe, the access and escape routes remain clear, and fire equipment is in working order. Civic authorities allow multi-storeyed buildings but do not invest in buying snorkels and ladders needed to fight high-rise blazes and rescue people. While cities are keen to invest in fancy projects like metro systems and flyovers, they fight shy of spending on fire readiness.

Nobody faces any consequence for this laxness. The process of prosecuting building owners or managers can drag on for decades, as in case of Delhi’s Uphaar cinema fire that had killed 60. In Kolkata, 89 people had died in 2011 AMRI hospital fire. Sixteen people were charged with offences five years later. The case is probably still dragging on. In almost all cases, police show immediate arrest of some people to mollify the public but that is usually the end of the story.

In almost no case the regulator is held responsible. While owners and managers are justifiably booked, why should people who allowed a hotel, hospital, or a mall to function for years without safety should be let go? It is time we start charging the city’s fire officers if gaps are found in safety. If they give excuse of having no staff or equipment, then municipal commissioners and their political masters who allocate budget should be indicted. We deserve safety not just from terrorists but also from our own.

This column appeared in Lokmat Times on May 7, 2025.