The death toll in the under-construction warehouse collapse in Kolkata's Taratala area climbed to 16 on Saturday after an injured person succumbed at a hospital, officials said. Rescue teams from multiple agencies continued sifting through the debris on the fourth day since the incident, working to ensure no one remains trapped.
Rescue Efforts Intensify with Technology
Cameras have been placed beneath the rubble to search for trapped persons, while mobile phone tower data is being used to trace the location of individuals whose phones remain active under the debris. An official stated, 'Our first priority is to complete the search and rescue operation. Teams are carefully checking every part of the collapsed structure. Massive debris clearance will start only after we are fully satisfied that no one is trapped inside.'
Large-scale debris removal will begin only after rescue personnel are certain that there are no more survivors or bodies under the rubble, he added.
Details of the Incident
The warehouse, which was under construction, collapsed on Wednesday afternoon. The body of the principal contractor, who was among the five people named in the FIR registered in the case, was recovered from the site. A senior state government official said, 'A person, Khalek Sardar of Basanti, undergoing treatment at the hospital, died. With this, the toll in the incident rose to 16, with 17 others undergoing treatment.'
Multi-Agency Coordination
The Indian Railways joined the rescue operation on Friday after the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) sought its assistance in cutting and removing twisted steel structures to facilitate the search for those feared trapped under the debris. The official emphasized that the rescue operation was being carried out with utmost caution to avoid any risk to rescuers and to ensure that no victim was missed.
Investigation Underway
Police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe how the structure collapsed. The FIR includes five individuals, and investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the tragedy.
