A massive fire engulfed a dry food warehouse in Kolkata’s Anandapur area early Monday, with fears that six individuals are trapped inside. The blaze started at 3 a.m. and continues to rage, with firefighters struggling to bring it under control using twelve fire engines. The warehouse, situated in Nazirabad, stored dry packaged food items and soft drinks, shrouding the vicinity in thick black smoke.
Locals reported that workers were on duty when the fire erupted, but their whereabouts are unknown, causing distress among their families. Fire department officials received the alert at 3 a.m. and immediately responded, although the status of the workers remains uncertain until the fire is extinguished. Concerns were raised by a relative of a missing worker who mentioned a distress call received during the fire outbreak.
One worker claimed that three colleagues are trapped inside and were attempting to escape by breaking through a wall before losing contact. Another source suggested that a total of six workers were on duty and are currently missing. Fire officials suspect that all goods in the warehouse have been destroyed, but the full extent of the damage is yet to be determined.
An evacuation was swiftly carried out for a residential building behind the warehouse, rescuing around 100 residents. However, efforts to reach those inside the warehouse were unsuccessful as their mobile phones are switched off. State Fire and Emergency Services Minister Sujit Bose mentioned the presence of two warehouses in the area, one linked to a momo company and the other to a catering firm, with ongoing efforts to control the situation.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, with authorities closely monitoring the situation to ascertain the reason behind the devastating incident.
