Kolkata warehouse collapse: Death toll climbs to 15 – Here’s what initial probe found
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Kolkata warehouse collapse: Death toll climbs to 15 – Here’s what initial probe found")
NDRF and security personnel at the site where the shed of an under-construction warehouse collapsed in Taratala, in Kolkata on Thursday. Photograph: (ANI)
The death toll in the Kolkata warehouse roof collapse has risen to 15. A preliminary probe points to poor construction materials and flaws in the roof casting process as possible causes.
The death toll in the collapse of an under-construction warehouse roof in Kolkata’s Taratala has risen to 15, the police said on Friday (Jun 26). This comes after another injured worker, identified as 19-year-old Mannu Kumar from Bihar’s Munger district, succumbed to his injuries. He was rescued from the debris and was undergoing treatment at the state-run SSKM Medical College and Hospital. The authorities said that all 15 victims are men, 13 of whom have been identified. The identities of the remaining two are yet to be confirmed.
According to the authorities, 18 people, including one woman, are injured and receiving treatment at the hospital. Two of those wounded are in critical condition.
Preliminary investigation into the incident by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Kolkata Police revealed that the use of poor-quality construction material and flaws in the roof casting process may have led to the collapse.
Earlier, the Kolkata Police said that they were unable to determine the exact number of workers present at the site at the time of the incident as no attendance record was maintained by the managers.
The incident has also triggered a political debate, with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari blaming the previous administration for giving approval. Addressing the West Bengal Assembly, Adhikari said that the warehouse construction had received official approval from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation under the tenure of former Mayor and former Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim.
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Adhikari added that the building plan was sanctioned on January 17 and carried the signatures of Hakim along with KMC engineers responsible for examining and approving the proposal. The investigation into the collapse is continuing as authorities seek to determine accountability for one of the city’s deadliest construction accidents in recent years.
