Kolkata's Wow! Momo warehouse fire toll rises to 21, 28 missing
India Today
The death toll in the devastating fire at a Wow! Momo warehouse near Kolkata has risen to 21, with 28 people still missing, raising fears of more casualties.
The death toll in the devastating fire near Kolkata has climbed to 21, with 13 more bodies recovered from gutted buildings, while 28 people remain missing, police said on Thursday, raising fears that the number of fatalities could rise further.
Authorities imposed prohibitory orders in the area ahead of a proposed visit by Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and other BJP leaders.
The massive blaze, which broke out around 3 am on January 26, reduced two godowns and a manufacturing unit of a momo company to ashes in the Anandapur area of South 24 Parganas district, close to Kolkata. The fire left behind charred buildings and bodies of workers trapped inside.
“Given the nature of the incident and the extent of damage, the possibility of the toll going up cannot be ruled out,” a senior police officer said.
In view of the situation and the proposed political visit, the police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in the area from Wednesday midnight.
“A prohibitory order has been imposed to maintain law and order and to facilitate rescue and identification work,” the officer said.
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