Odisha woman rescues family from Kolkata hotel fire, stands for 2 hours on narrow ledge

On April 29, a devastating fire broke out in a hotel located in the Mechhua area of Kolkata, resulting in the tragic deaths of 15 people. Among those trapped inside was Neha Agarwal, a resident of Odisha, who was visiting Kolkata with her husband, Akash Agarwal, their two sons, and her brother’s children. The family had rented two rooms on the fifth floor of the hotel, and the fire broke out as they were preparing to check out.

At the time of the fire, Neha, her husband, and her 15-year-old nephew Lokesh were in their room (No. 405) packing their belongings. They were informed by the hotel’s reception that a fire had started downstairs. As the situation escalated, the hotel’s corridors quickly filled with thick, black smoke, making it impossible for them to exit the room. Faced with the danger of suffocating, they had no choice but to retreat and lock themselves inside the room.

Neha soon spotted a small window in the bathroom that had no grille. Acting quickly, she, her husband, and nephew broke the window and crawled out onto the narrow cornice on the fifth floor. The three of them stood on the ledge for nearly two hours, struggling to breathe due to the smoke-filled air. Neha later recalled, “The two hours felt like a lifetime, but at least we knew our other family members were safe.”

Meanwhile, Neha’s two sons and her brother’s two children, who had already gone downstairs, were not in immediate danger. Firefighters eventually arrived at the scene and, after a prolonged effort of nearly eight hours, managed to bring the fire under control. They rescued Neha, her husband, and nephew from the cornice, and they were taken to safety.

The fire had started around 7:30 PM and had engulfed several rooms of the hotel. A total of 88 people were staying in the 42 rooms at the time of the fire. Firefighters from 10 fire trucks worked tirelessly to control the flames. Despite the efforts, 14 people lost their lives, and several others sustained injuries. As of now, the cause of the fire is under investigation. Neha’s family, although safe, was left without their belongings, which remain in their hotel room.