16 killed, 13 missing in Kolkata godown fire, rescue ops underway
India Today
The fire broke out at the warehouse late on Sunday night and spread rapidly due to the large quantity of inflammable materials stored at the site. Police sources said charred bone fragments are still present inside the building, underscoring the scale of the devastation.
At least 16 charred bodies have been recovered from a fire that broke out in a godown in Kolkata's Anandapur area as authorities continue to search for at least 13 individuals who are still missing. The disaster has prompted a large-scale response by emergency services, with officials confirming ongoing efforts to identify the remains and provide relief to families affected by the tragedy.
The fire broke out at the warehouse late on Sunday night, spreading rapidly due to the presence of large amounts of inflammable materials stored at the site. According to police sources from Baruipur police district in South 24 Parganas, charred bone fragments still remain inside the building, underscoring the scale of the devastation.
Minister Aroop Biswas, MP Sainy Ghosh, and Sujit Bose have visited the site following the incident. Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim also arrived, stating, "On the Chief Minister’s directions, I have come here today. This is an extremely tragic incident. Many lives have been lost. The fire was extremely severe. The fire department and police are investigating how the fire started and what its source was,” Hakim said.
Forensic teams have started examinations of the recovered bodies to establish identities. As identification remains challenging, missing persons’ reports have been filed, and authorities are preparing to conduct DNA testing with blood samples from relatives. This process is scheduled to begin following court approval.
The West Bengal government has announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for each affected family. Mayor Firhad Hakim confirmed, "The families of the deceased will be provided Rs 10 lakh each as financial assistance," and added that the compensation will be distributed once identification is confirmed through DNA testing.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed support for the families, committing to additional assistance once death certificates are issued. Job provisions for next of kin will be considered after official identification is complete. The Chief Minister has emphasized that strict legal action will be taken against those responsible for the tragedy.
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