At least three people died and 21 trapped people rescued as a three-storey under-construction warehouse in the Taratala area of west Kolkata collapsed on Wednesday afternoon. Giving latest updates, CM Subhendu Adhikari at SSKM hospital said 25 injured people had come to hospital, five brought dead and maximum people were from Bihar. "Five people dead, 20 injured, two are in ICCU and18 people are out of danger, he said.
Suvendu Adhikari reviewed the rescue operation and said around 12-18 people are trapped inside and they have come in contact with the Indian Army. “NDRF, Army, SDRF, Police, Fire Department are all together working here. 21 people have been rescued. Three people have lost their lives. SSKM Hospital is working. Around 12-18 people are trapped inside. They have come in contact with the Indian Army,” CM Suvendu Adhikari said.
Three people arrested, under construction works stoped till July 31
Labour supplier Mohammad Ataul and Subhash Sarkar have been arrested in connection with the Taratala incident. Supervisor Syed Mohammad Gulzar has also been arrested. All under construction work in Kolkata completely stops till 31st July.
These injured are currently undergoing treatment:
* Durbasa Malla (56) – Sustained a head injury and multiple fractures.
* Manichand Kumar (22) – Suffered fractures and injuries to the nose and face.
* Shahid Kumar (26) – Is suffering from internal bleeding.
* Vishva Prakash (28) – Sustained fractures.
* Rajesh Ruidas (25) – Suffered a head injury and fractures.
* Bodan Munda (28, female) – Sustained fractures.
* Ramprasad Chowdhury (21) – Sustained fractures.
The deceased have been identified as:
* Krishna Chowdhury (30)
* Rohit Chowdhury (40)
* One unidentified person, believed to be around 30 years old.
The warehouse was being built on a lease-hold property owned by the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in the city. Of those injured, 10 were admitted to the Trauma Care Centre of the state-run SSKM hospital. Among them, four were stated to be in a critical state, hospital authorities 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 still be trapped under the debris," the officer said.
Massive chunks of iron beams and concrete crumble on construction workers
Massive chunks of iron beams and concrete crumbled when several people were engaged in the construction work. Eyewitnesses said they heard trapped victims crying out for help from beneath the debris.
"Construction activities were taking place on the ground floor while the RCC structure for the first and second floors had been completed. Suddenly, the entire structure came crashing down," an eyewitness said.
According to a fire department official, the roof of the three-storey under-construction warehouse collapsed during casting work. He also alleged that substandard materials were being used in the construction of the warehouse.
Personnel of the Kolkata Police, Disaster Management Group, civil defence, and fire and emergency services teams were seen carrying out rescue operations at the site on a war footing. Army officials were also seen aiding rescue operations, while cranes and heavy equipment lifting machinery were deployed at the site to remove the collapsed iron beams.
Gas cutters were being used to cut through the iron and concrete, and rescue workers were trying to reach the trapped victims by means of vertical drilling. Sniffer dogs and overhead drones were deployed by the NDRF team to detect possible signs of life underneath the debris.
"We are following the cries for help coming from under the debris. At the same time, we are assuring the trapped people that they will be rescued soon," a member of the Kolkata Police disaster management group said.
Check control room number opened:
Control room numbers -- 1070, 8697981070, 033-22143526/22535185 -- of the Disaster Management Group were opened at the state secretariat in the wake of the incident.
Officials of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation present at the site opined that there were prima facie evidence of design and construction flaws that may have led to the collapse.
Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul and Kolkata Municipal Commissioner Smita Pandey have also rushed to the spot. Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand oversaw rescue operations at the site.
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Bengal: Under construction warehouse collapses in Kolkata's Taratala, several feared trapped | VIDEO
