KOLKATA: Cranes were mobilised, gas cutters deployed and ambulance sirens pierced through the chaos as a massive rescue operation unfolded at the Kolkata godown collapse site on Wednesday afternoon.Three deaths have been confirmed while 12-18 workers are feared trapped under the debris. 21 injured have been rescued and rushed to SSKM Hospital, officials said.Army personnel, NDRF teams, fire officials and disaster response workers raced against time, digging through twisted iron beams and concrete slabs to reach those trapped underneath the debris.Rescue personnel carefully searched every section, fearing more people could still be trapped below.The scene at the under-construction warehouse in Taratala turned into a frantic rescue zone as workers shouted for help from beneath the rubble while rescuers crawled through narrow gaps, cutting through metal and clearing heavy chunks of the collapsed structure.Teams carried out injured workers from the debris and rushed them to waiting ambulances as relatives and bystanders watched anxiously.Sanjoy Kumar Mukherjee, chief public relations officer of SMP Kolkata, said several steps had been taken to support rescue efforts.Heavy machinery worked continuously to lift massive concrete and iron portions of the collapsed three-storey structure, while sniffer dogs and drones were deployed to detect signs of survivors buried under the wreckage.
- Cranes were rushed to the site to clear debris and create access points for rescuers searching for trapped workers.
- Gas cutter sets and SMPA fire brigade units were deployed to cut through twisted metal and collapsed roofing sheets.
- An SMPA ambulance with a medical team reached the site to provide on-the-spot treatment and evacuate the injured.
- Estate division officials and port security teams were deployed to assist with coordination, safety and crowd control.
- Senior officers of the port authority reached the site soon after the incident and are monitoring the situation.
State officials said chief minister Suvendu Adhikari is expected to visit the site around 4. 30pm to review rescue operations and assess the situation.West Bengal MoS Umesh Rai says, “This is a tea warehouse, and construction work was underway at the site. During the construction, due to heavy rainfall, the structure suddenly collapsed. Many people were trapped under the debris. So far, we have rescued more than 11 people and sent them to the hospital. Of them, two or three have died, while the others are receiving treatment.”“Our health minister, urban development minister, fire services minister, and other officials are present at the spot. The chief minister will also arrive shortly. This accident occurred suddenly, and we are working swiftly to bring the situation under control. Many people are still trapped inside, and we can hear voices coming from within,” he added.The CM Suvendu Adhikari has reached the spot and reviewed rescue operations. He informed, “21 people have been rescued. Three people have lost their lives. Around 12-18 people are trapped inside.”The collapse happened during construction work at the warehouse on Transport Depot Road near Brace Bridge in Taratala.Officials said several workers were present when the roof gave way, triggering panic, with multiple agencies now working together in a race to pull out survivors and determine what caused the sudden collapse.
