The toll in the Taratala warehouse collapse in south Kolkata rose to 15 on Friday after rescue teams recovered two more bodies from the debris and two injured workers succumbed during treatment, an official said, reported news agency PTI.
Teams from multiple agencies, including Army personnel, Kolkata Police and the state disaster management group, continued intensive search operations through the rubble on Friday morning, two days after the warehouse roof caved in.
Two bodies were recovered late on Thursday night, though their identities are yet to be established, the official said. On Friday morning, two workers, Mannu Kumar and Sahil Sardar, died at the state-run SSKM Hospital, taking the toll to 15.
“Nineteen-year-old Mannu Kumar, a native of Munger district in Bihar, had been rescued from the debris on June 24 and had undergone surgery on Thursday night. Despite sustained medical efforts, he died in the early hours of Friday,” the official said to PTI.
Kumar’s brother Ghi Kumar had died in the accident, while their father was undergoing treatment for injuries sustained in the collapse, he added.
According to officials, 18 injured workers are currently admitted to SSKM Hospital, while several others are still believed to be trapped under the debris.
“Our immediate priority is to rescue every possible survivor and ensure the best medical care for the injured. Teams are working without interruption despite the extremely challenging conditions inside the collapsed structure,” an official said.
The rescue operation will continue until every section of the debris has been thoroughly searched.
“The rescue team personnel are proceeding with utmost caution because the damaged structure remains unstable. We are coordinating with all agencies,” the official added.
Personnel from multiple agencies have been working round the clock since Wednesday, cutting through iron beams and clearing massive concrete slabs in a race against time.
Teams have deployed cameras beneath the rubble to check for trapped persons, while mobile phone tower data is being used to trace the location of individuals whose phones remain active under the debris.
The Indian Railways also joined the rescue operation after the National Disaster Response Force sought its assistance in cutting and removing twisted steel structures to facilitate the search. Railway personnel equipped with oxy-cutting machines began work after inspecting the site on Thursday.
The accident occurred on Wednesday afternoon after the roof of the warehouse on Transport Depot Road in Taratala collapsed, trapping several workers inside.
(With PTI inputs)