According to police, the fire erupted at warehouses located under the Baruipur police district. Twelve fire tenders were deployed as flames rapidly spread through the structures, which housed storage units linked to a decoration company and a popular momo chain. Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control by around 10 am, though pockets of smoke and fire continued to smoulder till late evening.
During an intensive search operation that began once the fire subsided, firefighters recovered three bodies around 5 pm. Five more bodies were found later in the evening. Baruipur Police District Superintendent Shubhendu Kumar said the bodies were severely charred and could not be identified immediately.
Officials said at least four labourers managed to escape in time and survived. Initially, six workers were reported missing, but family members later claimed that more than 10 people could be unaccounted for. Several labourers were living in temporary rooms inside the warehouse complex, increasing fears that others may still be trapped under debris.
The victims and missing workers are believed to be residents of Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur and South 24 Parganas districts. BJP MLA Ashok Dinda alleged that the main gate of the warehouse had been locked at midnight, preventing workers from escaping when the fire broke out. Authorities said the claim would be verified as part of the investigation.
State Power Minister Arup Biswas said it would only be clear if anyone else was trapped once the thick smoke fully dissipates. He added that teams from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation were called in to break sections of the walls to allow smoke to escape and aid rescue operations.
Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose said the rescue effort was ongoing and high-mast lights had been installed at the site to continue operations after dark. He noted that while fire audits are conducted twice a year, responsibility for adhering to safety norms rests with building owners and company managements.
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari accused the state government of negligence, alleging poor coordination in disaster management and claiming that senior officials were unavailable due to Republic Day celebrations.
The incident has revived memories of a deadly hotel fire in central Kolkata on April 30 last year, in which 14 people lost their lives, prompting renewed calls for stricter enforcement of fire safety regulations across the state.
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