The death toll in the collapse of an under-construction warehouse in Kolkata’s Taratala area has risen to five, while rescue teams continue to search for workers feared trapped beneath the debris.
The West
Bengal government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident, even as the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Kolkata Police, Fire Department, Civil Defence and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) remain engaged in the rescue operation.
According to the latest updates, 29 people have been recovered from the collapse site.
While residents estimate that four to five more people may still be trapped under the debris, news agency PTI reported that around 15 workers were feared trapped at the time of filing its report, raising concerns that the death toll could increase further.
According to an official order, the SIT will be headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police Joysurja Mukherjee.
The team comprises Inspector Debasis Dutta, Officer-in-Charge of the Homicide Squad (Detective Department), Inspector Hirak Dalapati, who has been appointed the new Investigating Officer, Inspector Sarfaraz Ahmed of the Anti-Rowdy Squad, and Sub-Inspectors Manas Bhattacharya and Kushal Mondal of Taratala Police Station.
FIVE DEAD, 20 INJURED
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari confirmed that five people have died in the collapse, while 20 injured persons are undergoing treatment at the state-run SSKM Hospital.
According to him, two of the injured remain in critical condition, while the others are reported to be out of danger.
“Doctors are trying their best to bring them out of danger. The state government’s priority now is to rescue all the trapped workers from under the collapsed warehouse roof as early as possible,” the Chief Minister said.
The collapse occurred at around 12.07 pm on Wednesday during construction work at the private warehouse near Brace Bridge in Taratala.
Massive sections of concrete and iron beams came crashing down, burying workers underneath.
Rescue operations have continued through the day with personnel from the Army, NDRF, SDRF, Kolkata Police, Fire Services, Civil Defence and KMC working jointly at the site.
Heavy cranes, gas cutters and specialised equipment have been deployed to clear the debris.
According to PTI, rescue teams are using vertical drilling techniques to reach those trapped, while NDRF personnel have deployed sniffer dogs and drones to detect signs of life beneath the collapsed structure.
Residents said one of those trapped was Asgar, a Trinamool Congress-affiliated subcontractor, who later died.
THREE HELD, MORE UNDER SCANNER
Three people have been arrested in connection with the incident.
According to the West Bengal Chief Minister’s Office, those arrested are building supervisor Saiyad Md Gulzar and labour suppliers Md Ataul and Subhash Chowdhury.
IANS reported that police detained the trio for questioning, identifying them as Muhammad Gulzar, Muhammad Atayul and Subhas Chowdhury.
Police said the investigation is likely to widen, with the lease holder, construction company owners and officials involved in sanctioning the building plan also under scrutiny.
QUESTIONS OVER STRUCTURAL DESIGN
Preliminary findings have raised questions over the structural integrity of the warehouse.
Chief Minister Adhikari said the construction plan had been sanctioned by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation on January 17 this year under the previous Trinamool Congress administration.
“What I saw convinced me that the collapse did not take place on account of the rains or possible soft soil on which the construction was taking place. It was because of a faulty structural design in which the iron beams weren’t able to take the load of concrete and crumbled to the ground,” he said.
According to PTI, civil engineers present at the site also pointed to possible design and construction flaws, while a fire department official alleged that substandard materials were being used.
