KOLKATA: At least two people were killed and several others injured after an under construction roof on the third floor of a warehouse in Kolkata's Taratala collapsed on Wednesday afternoon.
According to sources, the death toll is feared to rise as several people remain trapped under the debris.
There has been no official confirmation on the casualities yet.
Around 10 people with severe injuries have been rescued so far. The injured were rushed to the state-run SSKM Medical College Hospital and are undergoing treatment at the trauma care centre.
Some of the injured are in critical condition, hospital sources said.
Central forces, Kolkata Police personnel and state disaster management team have been deployed at the spot for rescue operations.
State Sports Minister Dr Indranil Khan, who rushed to the spot soon after the incident, said the government is prioritising the immediate rescue of the trapped workers.
"Fire services, police personnel and disaster management have been pressed into service. Our priority is to intensify the rescue operation as fast as possible so that people trapped inside can be rescued immediately," the minister said.
Bulldozers and steel-cutting equipment were being used to clear the debris and reach those feared trapped underneath. Gas cutters were being used to cut through the iron and concrete, and rescue workers were trying to reach the trapped victims using vertical drilling.
Army officials were also seen aiding rescue operations, while cranes and heavy equipment lifting machinery were deployed at the site to remove the collapsed iron beams.
"We are following the cries of help of the trapped people coming from under the debris. We are assuring them that they will be rescued soon," a member of the Kolkata Police disaster management group said.
According to locals, the incident occured around 1.30 pm. Around 30-40 people were inside the warehouse near Brace Bridge railway station, as the rooftop on the third floor collapsed, bringing down the entire building, eyewitnesses said.
The locals and some workers stated that the warehouse has been under construction for nearly a year.
A fire department official said the roof collapsed during casting work and alleged that substandard materials had been used in the construction of the warehouse.
Meanwhile, Minister Agnimitra Paul and Kolkata Municipal Corporation administrator Smeeta Pandey have rushed to the spot to oversee the rescue operations.
The state administration has opened an emergency control room.
Control room numbers: 1070, 8697981070, 033-22143526/22535185
