How Many Lives Were Lost in the Kolkata Warehouse Fire?
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Key Takeaways
Kolkata, Jan 26 (NationPress) The number of fatalities from a significant fire incident at a warehouse in the Anandapur locality on the southern fringes of Kolkata has tragically increased to seven as of Monday, according to a confirmation from state police officials.
Additionally, reports indicate that approximately 20 individuals are unaccounted for, having been inside the warehouse when the fire erupted early Monday morning. The identities of the seven charred bodies retrieved from the warehouse have not yet been disclosed by authorities.
According to state police sources, the bodies were so severely charred that visual identification is challenging. At the time of reporting, fire containment efforts were underway.
Officials from the state fire services suspect the presence of hidden fire pockets within the warehouse, and fire officers along with firefighters are diligently working to locate and extinguish these concealed fires.
The cooling process has also commenced.
The warehouse, situated in Nazirabad within Anandapur, primarily held dry, packaged food items and bottles of soft drinks.
State Power Minister Aroop Biswas visited the site to offer condolences to the families of the deceased and to oversee the rescue operations while communicating with the relatives of the missing individuals.
As of Monday evening, the cause of the fire remains unknown. Reports suggest that night shift workers were trapped inside, including six security guards. Local residents have raised concerns that the warehouse was locked from the outside, preventing escape.
A residential building located behind the warehouse housed approximately 100 residents, all of whom were safely evacuated. However, those inside the warehouse could not be rescued, and their phones are reportedly switched off.
The state's Fire Minister Sujit Bose stated, "I was informed at 3 a.m. There are two warehouses in this vicinity; one is operated by a prominent momo company, while the other belongs to a catering service. The fire department is actively engaged, and everything is under observation."