Death Toll in Kolkata Warehouse Collapse Rises to Four; Rescue Efforts Continue

Kolkata: At least four people were killed and several others injured after a section of an under-construction warehouse collapsed in Kolkata’s Taratala area on Wednesday afternoon, triggering a large-scale rescue operation involving multiple agencies.

Officials said around 17 people had been pulled out of the debris by evening. Most of those rescued are believed to be construction workers who were present at the site when the structure gave way.

All rescued persons were shifted to the Trauma Care Centre at the state-run SSKM Hospital. Hospital authorities said several of the injured remain in serious condition, with at least three reported to be critical.

Rescue teams from the state disaster management department, Kolkata Police, central agencies and the Indian Army’s Eastern Command were deployed to the site to search for those still feared trapped beneath the collapsed structure.

Heavy machinery, including cranes and debris-clearing equipment, continued to operate at the site as emergency personnel attempted to reach survivors.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who visited the accident site, said rescue work remained the administration’s immediate priority. He said dozens of workers had initially been feared trapped and confirmed that contact had been established with some people still believed to be under the debris.

According to officials, rescue personnel were proceeding cautiously because of unstable concrete slabs and the possibility of further collapse.

Authorities indicated that the operation may continue for an extended period due to the scale of the damage and the complexity of clearing the site safely.

Officials also confirmed that the warehouse was a lease-hold property under the jurisdiction of Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port. The cause of the collapse is yet to be officially determined, and further investigation is expected once rescue operations conclude.

According to locals, construction work had been underway at the warehouse for nearly a year. A fire department official said the collapse took place during roof casting work and alleged that poor-quality construction materials may have contributed to the incident, TNIE reported.

Minister Agnimitra Paul and Kolkata Municipal Corporation administrator Smeeta Pandey also reached the site to monitor developments.