5 dead as building collapses in Kolkata; rescue ops continue

Kolkata: A three-storey under-construction warehouse in Taratala area of Kolkata collapsed on Wednesday afternoon killing five persons. Around 20 workers were rescued and hospitalised. Two of the injured are in a critical condition. Several other workers are still under the rubble, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari told mediapersons. He has announced a complete halt on all under-construction projects, specifically commercial ones and those built on filled water bodies, across the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) limits area, until July 31, 2026.

The rescued workers are undergoing treatment with some admitted to SSKM Hospital. The deceased are Rohit Chowdhary (40), Krishna Chowdhury (30) and three others.

"The Army personnel told me that 12-15 of the trapped people are still alive. They have been given water and oxygen," the CM said. A joint team of the Indian Army, NDRF, civil defence, fire department, KMC and Kolkata Police are carrying out the relief operations.


The land was owned by Kolkata Port which was given to the private company on lease.

Adhikari said that the KMC has informed that the building plan had loopholes and was faulty. The approval for the building was given to the Behera brothers on January 17, 2026. They were constructing a tea warehouse, locals said. The supervisor Asgar was also trapped under the collapsed construction.

The CM has ordered an audit of all under construction buildings across Kolkata under the KMC area. A special audit team comprising officials from the Public Works Department, Civil Defence, Fire Services, Kolkata Police, and the KMC will be formed under the guidance of the chief secretary, he said. "Since the assembly session is ongoing, I will not give details regarding compensation or action plans today. It is a matter of parliamentary practice," Adhikari said. He said he will make a formal statement in the assembly at 11 am on Thursday, after the Speaker's approval.

Locals reached the spot and started rescue operations much ahead of the state administration. "We saw people stuck with their hands bleeding, broken limbs and legs stuck and dismembered under the mangled concrete structure. We just pray that they are brought out alive," Saddam Qureshi, one of the locals told ET.

Meanwhile, police on Wednesday evening arrested three persons in connection with the building collapse case, a senior officer said. The arrested persons were identified as project supervisor Syed Mohammed Gulzar and two labour suppliers, Mohammed Ataul and Subhas Chaudhari.

An FIR has also been registered against the owners of the warehouse.