Shillong: A hotel fire near the Tarapith Temple in West Bengal’s Birbhum district has left families in Meghalaya mourning after at least eight people died in the incident.

Five of the deceased were residents of South Garo Hills in Meghalaya. Six other people from the state were injured in the fire and are undergoing treatment. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma expressed condolences to the bereaved families and said the state government was coordinating with authorities in West Bengal to provide all possible assistance to those affected.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the incident. According to officials, 28 people managed to survive the fire. Several injured persons are still receiving medical treatment.

The fire is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit, although the exact cause has not yet been established. Police have registered an FIR and taken the hotel operators into custody for questioning. A forensic team is also expected to examine the site to determine the circumstances that led to the blaze.

Among those who died in the fire were two children from Meghalaya, adding to the grief of families back home. Authorities in Meghalaya and West Bengal are continuing to coordinate on the identification of victims, treatment of the injured and other necessary assistance.