Kolkata fire tragedy: 21 dead, 27 missing; owner arrested
A tragic fire broke out on January 26 at two warehouses reportedly built illegally in Nazirabad, Anandapur, killing 21 people—many of them workers, including migrant workers, who were sleeping inside.
The blaze reportedly started in Pushpanjali Decorators's unit due to unauthorized cooking and quickly spread to a neighboring Wow! Momo warehouse.
Both buildings lacked safety clearances and were reportedly set up on protected wetlands.
Arrests made; DNA tests pending
So far, 21 body parts have been recovered but 27 people are still reported missing.
Gangadhar Das, owner of Pushpanjali Decorators, has been arrested; some reports say up to three people have been arrested on charges of negligence.
Wow! Momo has promised compensation and support to affected families.
Local officials and the fire department said they had not granted permission or fire-safety clearances for the warehouses; investigations into wider violations are ongoing, with DNA tests pending to identify victims.