kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Kolkata, June 25: The death toll in the devastating warehouse collapse at Taratala in Kolkata has risen to seven after rescue teams recovered two more bodies on Thursday morning. Emergency personnel continue to carry out an intensive search-and-rescue operation amid concerns that several workers may still be trapped beneath the massive pile of debris.

Providing an update on the operation, Manish Ranjan, Commandant of the Second Battalion of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), said that rescue teams had so far managed to pull 16 people from the wreckage. He stated that five unconscious individuals had been rescued and that four more people were still believed to be trapped under the collapsed structure.

“We have rescued 16 people so far. Five unconscious persons have been pulled out, and four individuals are still trapped. We have created an access route to reach them, but their location is extremely dangerous. There are girders from the adjacent and upper sections resting above them. We are taking every precaution to ensure that no additional harm is caused while reaching them. We hope to rescue one or two more people within the next few minutes,” he said.

The tragedy unfolded at approximately 12:07 p.m. on Wednesday when the roof of an under-construction warehouse suddenly gave way and collapsed without warning. The falling structure brought down massive iron frameworks, steel girders, and huge slabs of concrete, trapping at least 40 workers beneath the rubble.

The scale of the disaster triggered a massive emergency response. Personnel from Kolkata Police, the Fire and Emergency Services Department, and the State Disaster Response Force rushed to the site and immediately began rescue efforts. As the situation became increasingly complex, the West Bengal government sought assistance from central agencies and the armed forces.

The request, teams from the Indian Army and the National Disaster Response Force joined the operation, deploying specialized rescue equipment and trained personnel. Several heavy-duty cranes were brought to the site to lift enormous sections of collapsed concrete and twisted steel. Hydraulic cranes and cutting tools have been operating continuously in a race against time to locate and rescue survivors.

Rescue workers have been proceeding with extreme caution due to the unstable condition of the structure. Officials said that portions of the collapsed building remain precariously balanced, making the operation highly challenging and dangerous. Every movement of debris is being carefully monitored to prevent further collapses that could endanger both trapped workers and rescue personnel.

The disaster has also sparked serious questions about construction safety standards and possible structural deficiencies at the project site. In response to the incident, the West Bengal government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a detailed inquiry into the causes of the collapse and determine whether negligence or violations of construction norms played any role.

Simultaneously, Kolkata Police have registered a suo motu case and launched an independent investigation. Officials are expected to examine construction records, engineering plans, material quality, and the role of contractors and project supervisors involved in the warehouse project.

Anxious relatives of the trapped workers continue to gather near the accident site and hospitals, awaiting updates on their loved ones. Medical teams remain on standby as the rescue mission enters a critical phase.

With the death toll continuing to rise and several workers still unaccounted for, authorities have pledged to continue the operation until every trapped individual is located. The Taratala warehouse collapse has emerged as one of Kolkata’s most serious industrial disasters in recent years, prompting renewed scrutiny of workplace safety and construction oversight across the state.