Kolkata Warehouse Collapse: 11 Dead, Including Teen on First City Visit and Migrant Workers
At least 11 people were killed and several others injured when the roof of an under-construction warehouse collapsed in Kolkata's Taratala area on Wednesday. Rescue operations continued through Thursday as families searched for missing loved ones.
Among the victims was Navin Singh, a 36-year-old worker from Raniganj. His wife, Neha Devi, last spoke to him that morning. He said he was running a machine and would call later. After the collapse, she and her 18-year-old son traveled to Kolkata, only to learn that her husband had died. His body was identified by a tattoo on his arm. The family said Singh was the sole breadwinner for his wife, two sons, and a daughter.
Another victim was 17-year-old Sahil Sardar, who had arrived in Kolkata for the first time that Wednesday morning to visit his cousins working at the site. He was at the construction site when the roof collapsed. Relatives said he was excited about his first trip to the city.
A family from Munger, Bihar, also suffered losses. Four brothers, their father, and a cousin had been working at the site for 12 days. Rajendra Kumar (45) and his sons Manik Chand Kumar (21) and Sahid Kumar (20) were injured and admitted to SSKM Hospital. Another son, Manu Kumar (24), is in critical condition in a private hospital. The youngest brother, 17-year-old Ghee Kumar, died, and their cousin, Sreechand Kumar (19), is missing.
Swapan Mondal, 55, from Shyamnagar, had started work at the site on Wednesday, his first day. His daughter Priyanka said they were searching for him but were not allowed inside the cordoned-off area. She expressed her anguish about telling her mother.
In a stroke of luck, Neela Devi, a woman who supplied water to workers at the site, had skipped work on Wednesday for personal reasons. She sent her colleague Bodan Munda instead, who is now hospitalized with serious injuries. Neela said she feels she has been given a second life.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the collapse, and rescue teams continued to search for those still trapped under the debris.
