Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 30 (ANI): The fire that broke out at a manufacturing unit in Kolkata's Anandapur area has been brought under control, officials said.
Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Fire Station Officer Pankaj Chowdhury said the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is trying to remove debris from the gutted structure.
"Fire has been brought under control. KMC people are removing the structure using a gas cutter...," he said.
Earlier on Thursday, BJP leader Amit Malviya alleged that Trinamool-sponsored Bangla Pakkho had claimed on social media that 50 people died in the warehouse fire.
Sharing an X post on Wednesday, Malviya wrote, "Trinamool-sponsored Bangla Pakkho claimed on social media that 50 people have died in the devastating fire in Anandapur."
The warehouse fire broke out in the early hours of Monday, prompting the launch of rescue and relief operations. Firefighting teams were rushed to the spot to contain the blaze, while police cordoned off the area to facilitate emergency response.
Calling for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe, Malviya added, "Given the abysmal track record of her administration, it would be in the interest of justice to hand over the investigation to a Supreme Court-monitored SIT to thoroughly probe the tragic incident and fix accountability. She must also explain why her minister, Sujit Bose, failed to reach the accident site for nearly 32 hours. Such negligence is unacceptable."
At least three people lost their lives in the incident, officials said. Speaking to ANI from the site, Sinjini Sengupta, Block Development Officer (BDO), confirmed the recovery of bodies. "The fire brigade is still looking for them; the search operation is on. So far, three bodies have been found, and we are looking further," she said.
Authorities said search operations are continuing to rule out the possibility of more people being trapped inside the building. Fire department officials are also examining the premises to determine the cause of the fire.
Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court has granted permission for the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) rally today regarding the fire. (ANI)