Fire Services Minister Kaushik Chowdhury said the identities of those killed were yet to be established.
It is alleged that there were several irregularities in the functioning of the hotel,” the minister added.
Lalbazar, the headquarters of the Kolkata Police, has also formed a special investigation team (SIT) to inquire into the incident.
Most of the boarders, including several Bangladeshi nationals, had come to Kolkata from different parts of the state and elsewhere for medical treatment.
They stayed in the hotels in the building because of the low room rates, which ranged from Rs 500 to Rs 800.
Fire Services Minister Kaushik Chowdhury said the identities of those killed were yet to be established. The deceased included both Indian and Bangladeshi nationals, he said after visiting the site.
“We are trying to establish their identities. The situation inside this building is very bad. There are several hotels inside this building. I am shocked to see what was going on here,” Chowdhury said.
Asked about the cause of the fire, the minister said it could have been caused by a short circuit. “But a forensic examination would reveal what led to the blaze,” he said.
“The building management did not comply with basic safety and construction norms. It is alleged that there were several irregularities in the functioning of the hotel,” the minister added.
The state government ordered an inquiry into the fire late on Wednesday night. Lalbazar, the headquarters of the Kolkata Police, has also formed a special investigation team (SIT) to inquire into the incident.
Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul accused the previous Trinamool Congress government of negligence, questioning how the Kolkata Municipal Corporation had approved so many hotels and establishments in a cramped five-storey building.
She also accused the state Fire Services department under the previous regime of issuing fire licences to the hotels without proper verification.
Most of the boarders, including several Bangladeshi nationals, had come to Kolkata from different parts of the state and elsewhere for medical treatment. They stayed in the hotels in the building because of the low room rates, which ranged from Rs 500 to Rs 800.
