5 Bangladeshis among 9 dead in India hotel fire

Nine people were killed, including at least five Bangladeshis, with several others injured, when a fire broke out early Wednesday at a hotel in Kolkata, the capital of India's West Bengal state, authorities said.

The blaze trapped people inside the building, according to local officials.

The death toll could rise from the current figure of nine, a senior official said.

A major rescue operation was launched after the fire was reported, officials said.

In a statement, Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry said officials from its Deputy High Commission in Kolkata came to the scene and met with local authorities and the families of the deceased.

Of the nine dead, five were Bangladeshis, including four from the same family, the ministry said. Local authorities have not yet confirmed the identities of the rest, said the ministry, citing local authorities and police.

Six Bangladeshi citizens were also injured in the blaze, but they were released from the hospital after primary treatment.

In the wake of the fire, the Deputy High Commission has opened a helpline for Bangladeshi citizens staying in Kolkata.