Kolkata warehouse roof collapses during construction, several feared trapped

Several people are feared trapped after an under-construction warehouse collapsed in west Kolkata’s Taratala area on Wednesday afternoon

KOLKATA: Several people are feared trapped after an under-construction warehouse collapsed in west Kolkata’s Taratala area on Wednesday afternoon, triggering a massive rescue operation involving multiple agencies.The roof of the warehouse, located on Transport Depot Road near Brace Bridge, collapsed around noon, officials said. Police said four people have so far been rescued from the debris.A Kolkata Police official said, "The roof of the warehouse located on the Transport Depot Road near Brace Bridge in the Taratala area collapsed around noon. Our officers have reached the spot."Some people were working at the site at the time of the incident.

We fear that quite a few people may be trapped under the debris."

The godown, owned by a private party, was under construction when the collapse took place, officials said.Rescue teams from Kolkata Police, the Disaster Management Group, civil defence, fire and emergency services, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were rushed to the spot.NDRF personnel joined the search operation as teams worked to locate people feared trapped under the rubble.

Army personnel were also seen assisting in the rescue effort.Cranes and heavy-duty equipment were deployed to lift collapsed iron beams, remove debris and clear the area. Visuals from the site showed rescue workers searching through the rubble while machinery was used to move the wreckage.The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority (SMPA) said cranes, gas cutter sets, fire brigade units and an ambulance with a medical team had been sent to the site.SMPA chief public relations officer Sanjoy Kumar Mukherjee said senior officers, estate division teams and port security personnel had reached the spot and were monitoring the situation.Health minister and health secretary were also present at the collapse site in Taratala, officials said.The state government has opened control rooms at Nabanna for the incident. The helpline numbers are 1070, 8697981070 and 033-22143526/22535185.Rescue operations are underway.