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At least seven people were killed and several others critically injured after a massive fire broke out at a hotel in Tarapith, a prominent pilgrimage town in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, early Monday.
The fire erupted on the ground floor of the four-storey hotel at around 5 a.m. while most of the guests were asleep, according to police. Firefighters rushed to the scene and brought the blaze under control.
Several of the victims were pilgrims who had travelled to Tarapith to visit the famous temple, officials said. The injured were taken to Rampurhat Government Medical College and Hospital for treatment.
Initial reports put the death toll at five, but police later revised the figure to seven.
The cause of the fire has not been officially confirmed. Hotel officials said they suspected an electrical short circuit, while authorities are investigating the incident.
Police and fire service personnel continued search and rescue operations at the hotel to determine whether anyone else remained trapped inside.
