At least nine people were killed and several others injured in a fire at a hotel in the Indian city of Kolkata on Wednesday, a senior fire department official said.

“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.”

Preliminary information suggested an air conditioner in the budget hotel may have exploded and caused the blaze, Sharma said.

He added that nine people — six men, two women and a child — were rescued and taken to hospital.

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

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

A total of 60 guests were in the hotel when the fire broke out.

Building fires are common in India due to a lack of firefighting equipment and routine disregard for safety regulations.

AFP