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The four-storey building caught fire just before dawn in Kolkata, said S N Gupta, a senior police official.
Firefighters reached the densely populated area and battled with the blaze for hours, rescuing dozens from the building, which also had residential units.
"But nine persons, all adult males, were completely charred to death, while many sustained serious burns," said Gupta.
Police said they were unsure about the cause of the fire, but suggested it could have been caused by an electrical short circuit.
