#JustIn: Kolkata Godown Fire Toll Climbs to 19; Godown Owner Arrested

The death toll in the Nazirabad godown fire near Anandapur rose to 19 on Wednesday after fire officials recovered three more charred bodies, while search operations continue for dozens of missing workers. Police estimate that 25–30 people are still unaccounted for, including 13 from East Medinipur, and the final figures will be confirmed once rescue operations conclude.

Godown owner Gangadhar Das, who had been absconding since the incident, was arrested on Wednesday. Das, a resident of East Harma village in East Medinipur, has been in the decorators business for over four decades. Authorities have launched a probe to hold responsible parties accountable.

State minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim announced that the government will provide Rs 10 lakh compensation to the families of the deceased, to be disbursed after identification. He added that court permission will be sought for DNA testing to confirm the victims’ identities and assured full support to families of the missing.

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Fire officials revealed that the godown was operating without proper permission or fire safety measures, housing highly flammable materials such as plastic flowers, wood, clothes, and furniture. The stockpiled goods contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze, which took 12 fire tenders seven hours to bring under control, though small fires continued to smolder.

Survivors described a harrowing escape, with Sushanta Bera recounting that about 20 people were trapped in a room and had to jump from the roof to survive. Officials noted that there were no safe evacuation passages, exacerbating the casualties and prompting calls for stricter enforcement of safety regulations across industrial units.

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