Kolkata Warehouse Fire Kills 21, 27 Missing

A massive fire that erupted in the early hours of January 26 in two warehouses on the outskirts of Kolkata has claimed at least 21 lives, with 27 people still reported missing, according to police officials. The blaze, which started around 3 a.m. in the Anandapur area of South 24 Parganas district, quickly engulfed a godown used by a decorating firm and an adjacent facility operated by the quick-service restaurant chain Wow! Momo, trapping workers inside.

Firefighters battled the flames for several hours, deploying nearly 15 engines to the narrow lane site, where the structures stored dry food items, bottled drinks, and other materials. Rescue operations continued into the following days, with teams using gas cutters to access debris and high-mast lights to aid nighttime searches. By Thursday, officials had recovered 21 body parts from the charred remains, many beyond visual recognition. Police have collected blood samples from relatives of the missing for DNA profiling to confirm identities, a process that requires court approval.

The victims, primarily laborers from districts including Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, and South 24 Parganas, were on night shifts or asleep in...