A deadly fire at Shikha Inn on Mirza Ghalib Street in Kolkata (the capital of India's West Bengal state) has killed at least nine people, including seven Bangladeshi nationals, prompting a sweeping crackdown on fire safety across the city. Authorities inspected 960 hotels and guest houses, issuing temporary closure notices to 919 of them for failing to meet basic fire safety standards — leaving only 41 establishments compliant. The disaster has hit the Park Street and Esplanade area particularly hard, as the neighbourhood is a hub for small, century-old hotels that cater heavily to Bangladeshi visitors travelling to the city for medical treatment, with remaining open hotels now reporting sharply rising room prices.