Fire Broke Out in Early Hours
The fire erupted around 3 am earlier this week at a godown belonging to Pushpanjali Decorators in the Nazirabad area of Anandapur, located in South 24 Parganas district. According to police officials, the flames quickly spread to an adjoining warehouse operated by Wow! Momo, turning the entire complex into an inferno within minutes.
Both facilities reportedly stored large quantities of highly inflammable materials, which intensified the blaze and caused the structures to collapse. The rapid spread of fire left workers with little or no time to escape, officials said.
Most Victims Lived on the Premises
Police sources confirmed that most of the deceased workers were employed at the Pushpanjali Decorators godown, while only three employees were present in the Wow! Momo warehouse at the time of the incident. Many of the victims were migrant labourers from neighbouring districts who were residing inside the warehouse premises.
The presence of sleeping quarters within the industrial structures has emerged as a major concern for investigators, who are examining whether housing workers at such facilities violated safety and labour regulations.
Rescue Operations and Identification Challenges
Rescue and recovery operations continued for several days after the fire, with teams sifting through debris to locate missing workers. The intense heat reduced parts of the structure to rubble, and in several cases, skeletal remains were recovered, complicating identification efforts.
Authorities have deployed forensic teams and are coordinating with families to establish identities through available records and evidence. Officials said the final death toll could change if additional remains are discovered.
Wow! Momo Claims Safety Compliance
Earlier this week, a spokesperson for Wow! Momo stated that the company’s Nazirabad warehouse had been operational for the past three years and complied with prescribed fire safety norms. According to the company, 28 fire extinguishers were installed inside the warehouse.
The spokesperson claimed that the Pushpanjali Decorators godown lacked basic fire safety compliance and that the blaze originated there before spreading to the Wow! Momo unit. Investigators are currently verifying these claims through inspections and documentation.
Police Probe and Legal Action
Kolkata Police have registered multiple cases related to negligence and culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Officials said the arrests of the manager and deputy manager were made after preliminary findings suggested lapses in oversight and operational responsibility.
Senior police officers indicated that further arrests are possible as the investigation progresses. The role of warehouse owners, contractors, and safety officers is also under scrutiny.
Focus on Industrial Safety
The tragedy has once again brought industrial safety and enforcement of fire regulations into sharp focus in West Bengal. Experts have pointed out that unauthorised storage of inflammable goods and lack of emergency exits remain common issues across urban and semi-urban industrial clusters.
