Photo: Associated Press

Senior police officer Manoj Kumar Verma told reporters that the blaze broke out on Tuesday evening at the Rituraj Hotel in central Kolkata.

Six fire engines took part in efforts to extinguish the fire, which has now been put out.

It was not immediately clear how the fire began.

Photos and videos carried by Indian media showed people trying to escape through the building's windows and along narrow ledges.

The Kolkata daily newspaper, The Telegraph, reported that at least one person died after jumping from the terrace to escape the flames.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X that he was "anguished" by the loss of lives.

Urban fires are common in India, where builders and residents often flout building laws and safety codes.

Activists say constructors often cut corners on safety to save costs and have accused civic authorities of negligence and apathy.

In 2022, at least 27 people were killed when a massive fire tore through a four-story commercial building in New Delhi.