Kolkata warehouse collapse: Doctors, staff on war footing as injured & their kin beeline SSKM hospital

An ambulance after another cut through the packed compound, as the air echoed with muffled cries of the bereaved amid announcements on the loudspeakers asking people to clear the way for the victims. This was the scene outside the trauma care centre of SSKM Hospital after a warehouse collapsed in Kolkata’s Taratala, trapping over 60 labourers under the debris.

Covered in dust, the injured were being rushed in — some on stretchers with blood drying on their faces, others trying to step down from the ambulances, collapsing on the paramedics — all, visibly shocked and writhing with pain, and barely anyone able to tell their names to the authorities.

Doctors, nurses and ward boys remained on standby, rushing in to take the patients to the disaster management ward on the second floor of the hospital and give them first aid and emergency treatment.

Many victims brought to the hospital were critically injured and unconscious.

Till late evening, a total 25 labourers were rescued from the accident site — where the Army was also deployed for search and rescue efforts — and brought to the SSKM Hospital. Of them, at least five were declared dead at the hospital, while the rest were still being injured.

At around 7.30 pm, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari arrived to see the injured and take stock of the situation.

The CM, while leaving the premises, told mediapersons, “Till now, 25 have been rescued, of which five were brought dead; 20 are injured, of which two are in the ICCU and 18 are out of danger. Most of them are from Bihar. We are doing everything but some may still be trapped. All work is being carried out in coordination with the police; the swift action of all has resulted in less loss of life. I have ordered that the main labour supplier be summoned by Lal Bazar [Kolkata Police Headquarters] so the total number of labourers could be found, and to help with the investigation. Whatever action requires to be taken, we will take, but our first priority is to bring out those trapped and provide them with medical care.”

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Families scurry to find their own

Meanwhile, family members of the victims also flooded the hospital in search of their loved ones.

Seema Chowdhari, a resident of Keishnagar, ( Krishnanagar) broke down after the hospital administration showed the picture of her brother, Rohit Chowdhari, among the deceased. In between tears, she told The Indian Express, “I spoke to him just yesterday night. Today, a neighbour told my husband about the accident. We started calling him but there was no reply. We were on our way, and then the CM announced his name among the dead. They have not yet allowed us to see the body.”

Seema was joined in her grief by Srabon Chowdhury, a resident of Jagatdal, who lost her elder brother( his younger brother ) , Krishna Chowdhury. She ( HE) told the paper, “Krishna was the sole breadwinner of the family. We are not being allowed to go inside. I heard from the CM that his name is in the list of the dead so I came here. He has a small child, who will take care of the family now?”

She ( he) sought compensation for her ( his) brother’s family.

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For Idris Ali, who arrived here from Basirhat, his grief was compounded when he could not find his brother-in-law Khalid Sardar. With his photograph in hand, he was running from the police to nurses, for some information about him.

Visibly confused, he told The Indian Express, “My brother-in-law had been working at the warehouse for two months. He was finally planning to go back home this weekend. I don’t know what’s happening. I don’t even know if he is dead or alive; if he is here or at the accident site.”

Earlier in the evening, TMC MLA and former mayor Firhad Hakim had also reached the hospital but refused to make any comments. After seeing the injured, he left with folded hands. The incident happened in his Assembly constituency.

Health Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam also arrived at the hospital, where he told the media: “The victims are in the disaster management ward, which is ready. All resources available from neurological to orthopaedic to skin and other departments, all forms of treatment are being provided.”

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Health Minister Dr Sharadwat Mukherjee and Urban Minister Agnimitra Paul also visited the hospital.

Dr Mukherjee said, “We are with the families and will provide all necessary treatment. Any death is unfortunate. I have seen the patients; many have fractured bones and bleeding… Some also have internal haemorrhage… We know many families are eager to take the bodies, but we have to follow the rules and conduct postmortem examinations.”

He said the CM had asked for an inquest report to be submitted by Wednesday night.