Eight labourers killed, over 10 feared missing in south 24 Parganas warehouse fire

At least eight people were killed and several others are feared missing after a massive fire broke out in two adjoining warehouses in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district in the early hours of Monday, police said.

The blaze erupted around 3 am at twin godowns in the Najirabad area under Narendrapur police station limits, on the outskirts of Kolkata. Firefighters battled the flames for nearly seven hours before bringing the situation largely under control by 10 am, though pockets of fire continued to smoulder in parts of the structures.

Police recovered three severely charred bodies during an initial search operation in the evening, while five more bodies were found later from inside the gutted buildings. Baruipur police district Superintendent of Police Shubhendu Kumar said the identities of the deceased could not be established as the bodies were burnt beyond recognition.

“Whether more people were trapped and killed in the blaze will be known only after the debris is completely cleared and the remaining pockets of fire are extinguished,” Kumar said, adding that the final casualty figure may rise.

Initially, six persons were reported missing, but family members claimed that more than 10 labourers could still be trapped inside. The warehouses housed workers employed by a decorating firm and a popular momo chain, many of whom reportedly stayed in makeshift rooms inside the godowns.

Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose said rescue operations were continuing and teams were deployed to douse lingering fire on different floors of the buildings. High mast lamps were installed to facilitate night operations.

On the cause of the fire, Bose said it was too early to draw conclusions and that an investigation was underway. He also referred to fire safety norms, stating, “While fire audits are conducted twice a year and loopholes are addressed, it is the responsibility of the owners and company officials to ensure that fire safety SOPs are followed in letter and spirit.”

Power Minister Aroop Biswas , who visited the site earlier in the day, said thick smoke had made rescue efforts difficult. “Only after the smoke clears can it be verified whether anyone was trapped inside. A demolition squad of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has been brought in to break walls to allow the smoke to escape,” he said.

Twelve fire tenders were pressed into service to control the blaze. The exact cause of the fire and the extent of damage to property are yet to be ascertained, officials said.

Relatives of the victims and missing workers gathered at the site throughout the day, anxiously seeking information from police and fire officials. Tanmoy Giri , whose uncle worked for a decorating firm and stayed inside the warehouse, said his uncle had last spoken to the family around 1 am. “Since then his phone has been switched off. We have been waiting here since morning for some news,” he said.

Another youth said his father had gone for the night shift at the momo unit but had not returned after the fire broke out.

Most of the deceased and missing workers are believed to be from Purba Medinipur , Paschim Medinipur and South 24 Parganas districts. BJP MLA Ashok Dinda , who visited the spot, said several victims hailed from the Moina area of Purba Medinipur and alleged that many labourers were trapped as the main gate of the warehouse was locked at midnight.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari criticised the state government, accusing it of poor disaster management. However, Minister Aroop Biswas dismissed the remarks, saying, “This is not the time to do politics over a human tragedy.”

Authorities have launched an inquiry into the incident to determine the cause of the fire and examine possible lapses in safety measures. Rescue and search operations were continuing late into the night.