Rescue personnel carry out operations after a fire broke out at a private hotel in Tarapith, in Birbhum district, West Bengal, on August 17, 2026. At least seven people were killed and several others critically injured.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Eight people were killed after a fire broke out at a hotel in the temple town of Tarapith in West Bengal’s Birbhum district in the early hours of Monday (August 17, 2026).
According to the initial assessment of the Fire and Emergency Services Department, the blaze was caused by an electrical short circuit on the ground floor of Hotel Bideshini, located near Tarapith police station.
The fire erupted around 4.30 a.m. on the ground floor of the four-storey hotel, when most guests were asleep. The hotel had two exits. But due to the fire, the electric supply was disconnected, leaving many boarders unable to locate the rear exit in the darkness.
Condolences pour in
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said in a social media post that 34 people were rescued and eight lost their lives in the incident. Of the deceased, five were from the Garo Hills of Meghalaya, and three from Alipurduar district of West Bengal. The five victims from Meghalaya were members of the same family, including two children.
In a post on X, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma expressed his condolences. “Pained to learn about the fire incident at a hotel near Tarapith Temple in Birbhum, West Bengal that claimed the lives of five residents from West Garo Hills and injured six others from our state. Extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and wish speedy recovery to those injured. Our Government is coordinating with the authorities of West Bengal,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed condolences on social media over the loss of life in the fire.
Birbhum SP Vidit Raj Bhundesh said the fire might have been caused by a short circuit on the ground floor before spreading to other parts of the building. He said the front gate of the hotel was closed and only a rear gate was open, delaying the evacuation of guests. “We have secured the PO (point of occurrence) and requisitioned FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory). We have detained the son of the hotel owner and strict legal action will be taken,” he said.
The police later arrested hotel owner Kalyan Pal. He claimed that there was no fault in the hotel’s fire-safety system and said that since the electricity supply was disconnected, people could not find their way out of the rear door.
Inspections ordered
Meanwhile, the Birbhum district administration has ordered inspections of hotels, guest houses, and homestays in Tarapith to check the presence of permanent fire-safety systems and assess the condition of electrical wiring and installations.
Tarapith draws devotees throughout the year, and there was heavy footfall in the temple town on Monday during the auspicious month of Shravan. The crowd is likely to swell further on the occasion of Kaushiki Amavasya on September 9.
Also read: 14 killed as fire rips through Kolkata hotel; probe ordered
The incident is the latest in a series of hotel fires in the State. Last year, a fire at the Rituraj Hotel in Kolkata’s Burrabazar area claimed 14 lives.
Published – August 17, 2026 10:04 am IST
