The death toll in the fire at two warehouses in Anandapur on the southern outskirts of Kolkata has tragically risen to 21. Virendra Yadav, the first eyewitness and the individual who alerted the fire services, highlighted that the disaster could have been prevented if the state fire services department had responded promptly instead of delaying over jurisdictional issues.
Yadav, who owns a cattle shed near the warehouse where the fire originated before spreading to an adjacent warehouse, was the first to report the blaze to the fire department. However, due to confusion over jurisdiction, there was a delay in dispatching assistance, with fire engines arriving at the scene approximately half an hour later.
Expressing frustration, local residents questioned the delayed arrival of State Fire Minister Sujit Bose at the site, which occurred 32 hours after the fire broke out. The fire incident, which engulfed two warehouses in Anandapur, has resulted in 21 fatalities, with 28 individuals still missing as search operations continue.
Authorities have taken Gangadhar Das, the owner of the gutted Pushpanjali Decorators warehouse, into custody on charges of negligence leading to death. Das was presented before a court and remanded to police custody until February 4. Charges have also been levied against the owners of Wow Momo, the adjacent warehouse, where three employees lost their lives in the tragic event.
