Kolkata (West Bengal)

Visuals from the site of a fire at a manufacturing unit in the Anandapur area of Kolkata showed extensive damage to the structure a day after the incident. The footage showed charred remains of the building as fire tenders and police personnel continued to assess the situation and probe the cause of the fire.

Smoke was still seen billowing from the premises as flames continued to burn inside parts of the structure, even though the fire had been brought under control.

The 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.

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.

Further details are awaited as investigations continue.

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Meanwhile, Families of the victims expressed anguish and concern over the safety lapses at the factory. Uttam Hazra Pachim, a victim's family member, said, "My brother-in-law is missing. We tried contacting the police; no answer. They are still looking for his name, Krishnendu Saha. He used to work as a decorator. We tried calling him, but his phone was switched off. We tried calling his friend."

Gariya Mousmi Halder said, "My husband called me around 3 am in the morning and said I won't be alive, you won't see me again. When I came police were there and there was fire, they couldn't go in..." Another person said, "I used to work here. Now, my friend is working; when I used to work, there was no fire safety system, and the fire department wasn't working. I got to know in the morning." Superintendent of Police, Baruipur, Shubhendra Kumar, said that an investigation into the incident is underway.