The death toll in the Kolkata warehouse collapse rose to 16 on Saturday after an injured worker succumbed to his injuries in hospital, while rescue teams continued searching the debris for a fourth consecutive day to ensure that no one remains trapped.
A senior West Bengal government official, speaking to news agency PTI said that, Khalek Sardar, a resident of Basanti who had been undergoing treatment, died in hospital.
"A person, Khalek Sardar of Basanti, undergoing treatment at the hospital, died. With this, the toll in the incident rose to 16, with 17 others undergoing treatment," the official said.
Rescue operations involving multiple agencies remained underway, with teams using cameras placed beneath the rubble to detect any trapped survivors. Authorities are also analysing mobile phone tower data to trace the location of individuals whose phones continue to remain active under the debris.
"Our first priority is to complete the search and rescue operation. Teams are carefully checking every part of the collapsed structure. Massive debris clearance will start only after we are fully satisfied that no one is trapped inside," an official said.
Officials said large-scale debris removal would begin only after rescuers are certain that there are no more survivors or bodies beneath the collapsed structure.
The rescue operation is being carried out cautiously to minimise risks to personnel and ensure that no victim is overlooked, another senior state government official said.
The Indian Railways joined the rescue effort on Friday after the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) sought assistance in cutting and removing twisted steel structures to facilitate the search for those feared trapped under the rubble.
The under-construction warehouse collapsed on Wednesday afternoon.
The body of the principal contractor, who was among the five people named in the FIR registered in connection with the incident, was recovered from the site.
Police have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the cause of the collapse.
(With inputs from PTI)
