Kolkata Warehouse Collapse Toll Rises to 15, Rescue Operations Continue for Third Day

The death toll in the Taratala warehouse collapse in south Kolkata has risen to 15 , with rescue teams recovering two more bodies from the debris and two injured workers succumbing to their injuries at a hospital, officials said on Friday.

The warehouse roof had collapsed on Wednesday afternoon on Transport Depot Road, trapping dozens of workers inside. Rescue operations entered their third consecutive day , with authorities fearing that several people may still be trapped beneath the rubble.

Among those who died was 19-year-old Mannu Kumar , a resident of Bihar's Munger district, who had been rescued alive on the day of the accident but succumbed to his injuries following surgery at the state-run SSKM Hospital . His brother had also died in the incident, while their father remains under treatment. Officials said 18 injured workers are currently admitted to the hospital.

Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Army, Kolkata Police, State Disaster Management Group , and the Indian Railways are jointly carrying out the rescue operation. Railway teams have deployed oxy-cutting machines to remove twisted steel structures, while rescuers are using cameras inserted beneath the debris and mobile phone tower data to locate possible survivors.

Officials said the damaged structure remains unstable, forcing teams to proceed cautiously. They reiterated that rescue efforts would continue until every section of the collapsed building had been thoroughly searched.

Meanwhile, the West Bengal government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the cause of the collapse, as police continue investigating possible lapses in construction and safety compliance.