Kolkata Warehouse Collapse Kills 8, Injures 20+; Dozens Feared Trapped Under Massive Debris in Taratala
Tragic news has emerged from Kolkata: on Wednesday, June 24, around 11:30 AM, a 32,000-square-foot under-construction warehouse in Taratala suddenly collapsed, resulting in eight deaths and leaving over 20 people injured. Approximately 40 workers were trapped under concrete debris, twisted iron beams, steel structures, and tin sheets during the incident. Around 400 personnel from the Indian Army, NDRF, SDRF, Kolkata Police, Fire Brigade, Civil Defence, and the Disaster Management Unit have been deployed for the rescue operation. Modern equipment—such as angle cutters, diamond chain saws, air plasma cutting machines, and cordless hammer drills—is being used to cut through the concrete debris. Rescue workers systematically removed parts of the collapsed structure and initially pulled about 25 people out; however, as time passed, reports indicated that the number of workers trapped under the rubble was higher. Taking action on the matter, the police arrested three individuals late Wednesday night: site supervisor Syed Mohammad Gulzar, labor supplier Subhash Chaudhary, and Mohammad Ata-ul. According to available information, the facility was intended to serve as a tea warehouse, battery store, and cold storage unit. The warehouse—comprising a ground floor plus two additional stories—was being constructed on Kolkata Port land and had been leased for 30 years by Shambhu Bada, a businessman from Odisha. Preliminary investigations by engineers have revealed significant flaws in the building’s design; the Detective Department has now taken over the investigation into the case.