Death toll in Kolkata warehouse fire rises to 21 with ‘27 reported missing’

The death toll in the Anandapur warehouse fire rose to 21 on Thursday (January 29), according to officials. At least 27 missing person complaints have been filed at the local police station by families since the massive blaze engulfed the facility early on Monday (January 26).

“The death toll is, 21 and 27 missing person complaints have been filed,” top police officials from the Baruipur Narendrapur Police Station told The Hindu on Thursday.

Exhausted firefighters gave way to a fresh shift as rescue operations continued on Thursday morning at the burnt-out warehouse situated on swampy land. Four days after the fire, rescue workers are treading carefully as the massive warehouse structure is now fragile and crumbling having weakened after the blaze.

Devastated surroundings

Multiple trees in the area were reduced to ashes, and a house beside the warehouse was turned black by the smoke. The scene is a grim reminder of the devastation long after the flames were doused. As the smell of water from the fire engines soaking burnt debris filled the air on Thursday morning, firefighters continued their search for missing people and the remains of the deceased.

“Please stay behind the line. We do not want the evidence tainted. Our forensic team is still collecting samples for investigation, and many people are still unaccounted for,” a firefighter told bystanders and media at the barricaded entrance to the warehouse. More bodies may be recovered from under the debris. Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanghita has been imposed near the premises to prevent tampering  with evidence. 

EDITORIAL | Abysmal failure: On Kolkata warehouse fire

DNA tests

The bodies of victims were entirely burnt in the fire; bones and skulls have been recovered from the site. DNA tests must be conducted to identify individuals as families await news of their relatives. 

Two warehouses were gutted in the fire, one belonging to a local decorator and another to the food chain Wow Momo. Three of the deceased were employees of Wow Momo, and the rest worked at the warehouses. However, Wow Momo in their statement on Wednesday (January 28, 2026) claimed that the fire did not start from their godown and spread from the decorator’s premises. They have offered ₹10 lakh compensation to the families. 

The police arrested the warehouse owner, Gangadhar Das, on Wednesday and produced him in the Baruipur Subdistrict Court. 

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also announced a ₹10 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased. 

On Thursday, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari planned a protest march to the area of the fire, however police refused permission owing to the implementation of Section 163.

Prohibitory order

“As a responsible Leader of the Opposition, I intended to visit the area, only after the rescue operation was over. But instead of accountability, the TMC Administration has unleashed its favourite weapon: suppression of truth and the opposition by using a prohibitory order under Section 163(2),” Mr Adhikari said. 

Similar sentiments were echoed by bystanders.

The Director General of Fire and Emergency Services of Kolkata, Ranvir Kumar, had already stated that the warehouse did not possess fire licenses. Opposition parties have sought to know how massive warehouses were functioning within the city without proper permissions. The ruling Trinamool Congress government has been heavily criticised for multiple procedural lapses. .

Devastated surroundings

Multiple trees in the area were reduced to ashes, and a house beside the warehouse was turned black by the smoke. The scene is a grim reminder of the devastation long after the flames were doused. As the smell of water from the fire engines soaking burnt debris filled the air on Thursday morning, firefighters continued their search for missing people and the remains of the deceased.

“Please stay behind the line. We do not want the evidence tainted. Our forensic team is still collecting samples for investigation, and many people are still unaccounted for,” a firefighter told bystanders and media at the barricaded entrance to the warehouse. More bodies may be recovered from under the debris. Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanghita has been imposed near the premises to prevent tampering  with evidence. 

DNA tests

The bodies of victims were entirely burnt in the fire; bones and skulls have been recovered from the site. DNA tests must be conducted to identify individuals as families await news of their relatives. 

Two warehouses in the premises were gutted in the fire, one belonged to a local decorator and another to the food chain Wow Momo. Three of the deceased were employees of Wow Momo and the rest worked at the warehouse. However, Wow Momo in their statement on Wednesday (January 28, 2026) claimed that the fire did not start from their godown and spread from the decorator’s premises. They have offered ₹10 lakh compensation to the families. 

The police on Wednesday arrested the warehouse owner Gangadhar Das and produced him in the Baruipur Subdistrict Court. 

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also announced a ₹10 lakh compensation for families of the deceased. 

On Thursday, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari planned a protest march to the area of the fire, however police did not give him permission owing to the implementation of Section 163.

Prohibitory order

“As a responsible Leader of the Opposition I intended to visit the area only after the rescue operation was over. But instead of accountability, the TMC Administration has unleashed its favourite weapon: suppression of truth and the opposition by using a prohibitory order under Section 163(2),” Mr Adhikari said. 

Similar sentiments were echoed by bystanders.

The Director General of Fire and Emergency Services of Kolkata, Ranvir Kumar, had already stated that the warehouse did not possess fire licenses. Opposition parties have sought to know how massive warehouses were functioning within the city without proper permissions. The ruling Trinamool Congress government has been heavily criticised for multiple procedural lapses.

Published – January 29, 2026 09:47 pm IST