Kolkata: At least seven people were killed and 21 others went missing when a massive fire broke out at a warehouse complex in east Kolkata early Monday, trapping workers sleeping inside the units filled with inflammable materials. The complex housed a decorators unit and a factory supplying the popular Momo chain.Police initially confirmed three deaths, but fire department sources later said that seven badly burnt bodies had been recovered. Immediate identification was not possible. Officials said the number could change as the search continues into the smoldering debris.The fire broke out around 2.30 am at a warehouse in Nazirabad in Anandapur – a densely populated area off the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, a major road connecting south and east Kolkata.According to missing persons complaints, 25 people had stayed overnight inside the decorators unit, while three others were in the Momo factory. Most of the missing are migrant workers from East and West Midnapore districts.Fire officials said the decorators unit had stored a large quantity of thermocol and other highly combustible materials. The large stock of soft drinks and packaged food kept in the warehouse may have fanned the flames, causing the fire to spread rapidly throughout the structure.Ten fire tenders were sent to the spot, followed by 12 more in a phased manner. Firefighters battled the blaze for hours, but by morning the fire was still burning, hampering rescue efforts. Bulldozer was brought to remove the debris. As a precautionary measure, a nearby workers’ mess and a residential house were evacuated.Relatives of the missing gathered outside the black circle of the building, searching for signs of loved ones. A relative told that Sonarpur resident Pankaj Halder called his family in a hurry after the fire, but after some time the phone got switched off.“My father has been working here for the last seven years. There is still no news of him. We have found his bicycle,” said Nayan Halder, standing near a nearly burnt bicycle, believed to belong to his father Basudeb Halder, who is the store in-charge of the Momo unit. Police said efforts are being made to trace the warehouse owners and investigation is underway.
