Kolkata warehouse roof collapse: 5 dead, 20 injured; race on to rescue trapped labourers

By evening, Kolkata Police said an FIR has been registered against the owners and three persons, including a project supervisor and two labour suppliers, were arrested.

According to preliminary information, around 50 labourers were working at the site when the roof of the warehouse collapsed.

Two of the three dead labourers have been identified as Rohit Chaudhuri (30) and Krishna Chaudhuri (30). The remaining three are yet to be identified.

“Army and NDRF personnel involved in the rescue operations have been able to establish contact with those still under the rubble. Water and oxygen are being sent to them. We all hope they will be rescued alive and safely,” said West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari after visiting the accident site in the afternoon.

Later in the evening, he reached Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital, where the injured were being treated.

According to eyewitnesses, the roof collapsed when the labourers were in the middle of pouring concrete. Heavy iron beams, massive concrete slabs, and entire sections of the roof suddenly tore away, burying the workers below.

“There was a loud crashing sound, and within seconds, a huge cloud of dust covered the entire area. People immediately ran towards the site to help those trapped inside,” recalled an eyewitness.

Local BJP leader Rakesh Singh was among the first to reach the spot. “I pulled out 10 people… Most of them appeared dead, or were so critical that they looked lifeless. Look at the quality of the materials used,” he said.

The fire brigade received the alert at 12.20 pm, triggering a massive, coordinated deployment of personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Kolkata Police (KP), Disaster Management Group (DMG), Civil Defence, and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).

High-rise and hydraulic ladders, JCBs, gas cutters, and hydraulic cranes were brought in.

“We are following the cries for help of the trapped people coming from under the debris,” said a Disaster Management official of the Kolkata Police. “We are assuring them that they will be rescued soon. We have identified spots where we feel people are trapped, and we are rescuing them accordingly,” the official added.

Outside the compound of Octavious Tea and Industry Ltd, where the warehouse was being constructed, Sheikh Imran was searching for his friend, Mohammad Mintu.

“At 11:00 am, he (Mintu) told his contractor that he was going to the site,” Imran said, his eyes welling up with tears. “After the incident, his phone became completely unreachable. We rushed to the SSKM Hospital, but couldn’t find him on the list of injured people. Now, we are back here to check, but the police are unable to say much. They say they are first focusing on taking everyone out who is stuck under the debris.”

Nearby, Saddam Mondal stood in deep distress. He had traveled all the way to the site because four to five men from his neighbourhood in Basanti had been working here for the last month.

“Khalik Sardar, Jorali Gayen, Mustaken Gayen… they have all gone missing,” Saddam said. His voice cracking. “They are all residents of the Basanti area, all between 40 and 42 years old. Five of our people have been staying here, and four were inside when it came down,” Mondal said.

Bappa Sardar, who had come looking for his elder brother, Khalik, froze every time the flashing lights of an ambulance tore through the dust.

“I am praying every time an ambulance comes out… God, please let this be my brother.” But as another vehicle sped past, the weight of the unknown became too much, and he broke down again.