Kolkata Warehouse Fire: At Least 20 Feared Dead in Wow! Momo Godown Blaze, Fire Safety Lapses Under Scanner

A devastating fire at two warehouses in Kolkata’s Anandapur–Nazirabad area, near the EM Bypass, has claimed multiple lives, with at least 11 to 16 deaths confirmed so far and over 20 workers feared missing, according to evolving official and media reports. The blaze, which broke out in the early hours of January 26, continued for nearly 36 hours, raising serious questions over fire safety violations, illegal operations, and administrative lapses.

The incident has directly involved a warehouse used by popular food chain Wow! Momo, alongside a godown belonging to Pushpanjali Decorators, both allegedly operating without mandatory fire safety clearances.

What Happened: Timeline of the Fire

• January 26, around 3:00 am: Fire broke out at a decorators’ godown in Nazirabad, Anandapur

• The blaze rapidly spread to an adjoining Wow! Momo warehouse

• Workers were asleep inside the premises and were unable to escape

• Fire continued till the afternoon of January 27, nearly 36 hours later

• Rescue operations extended into January 28, hampered by structural instability

According to police and fire officials, the absence of fire alarms, fire exits, and safety systems severely delayed rescue efforts.

Casualties and Missing Workers: Numbers Still Rising

• At least 11 bodies were initially recovered

• By January 28, reports confirmed the death toll had risen to 16

• Families of 17 to over 23 workers have filed missing persons complaints

• Authorities fear the final toll could cross 20

Many of the bodies were charred beyond recognition, and officials stated that DNA tests may be required for identification.

Most of the deceased were migrant workers from districts, who had come to Kolkata for employment and were sole breadwinners for their families.

Arrest and Investigation

Police arrested Gangadhar Das, the owner of the warehouses and the plot, on charges of causing death due to negligence. He was produced before the Baruipur Sub-Divisional Court on January 28, 2026.

According to fire and police officials:

• Neither warehouse had a fire licence

• There were no approved fire safety arrangements

• The godowns were located in the East Kolkata Wetlands, an ecologically sensitive Ramsar Site

Director-General of Fire and Emergency Services Ranvir Kumar stated:

“They did not have a fire licence, and there were no fire safety measures.”

Wow! Momo’s Response: Company Denies Origin of Fire

Wow! Momo issued multiple statements denying that the fire originated from its warehouse.

Company Statement Highlights:

• The fire started at a neighbouring decorators’ godown

• Cause was reportedly unauthorised cooking

• Wow! Momo operated a 12,000 sq ft rented warehouse

• Stored packaging materials, beverages, and essential supplies

• Fire damaged the fire exit, cutting off escape routes

“Forensic and police teams have already validated that the fire originated from the adjacent godown,” the company said.

At the time of the incident:

• Two Wow! Momo employees and

• One NIS-contracted security guardwere inside the warehouse — all three lost their lives

However, fire officials disputed claims of compliance, stating there were no fire permissions at the site. Wow! Momo countered this by claiming:

• The unit had 23 fire extinguishers

• It was largely compliant with safety norms

Compensation Announced by Govt and Company

West Bengal Government:

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced:

• ₹10 lakh compensation for each victim’s family

• One family member to be given employment as civic volunteer

“Decorators and Wow! Momo are compensating them as well,” she said at a public meeting in Singur on January 28.

Wow! Momo’s Compensation Package:

The company announced:

• ₹10 lakh lump-sum compensation per family

• Lifetime monthly salary to bereaved families

• Education support for children

• Support beyond statutory and government benefits

“Such personal loss can never find compensation,” the company said.

Political Fallout and Allegations

BJP leaders launched strong attacks on the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) government.

BJP MLA Ashok Dinda:

• Alleged lack of fire alarms and safety systems

• Announced plans to move the High Court

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari:

• Demanded resignation of Fire Minister Sujit Bose

• Called the incident a result of chronic negligence

• Announced a 20-member BJP delegation visit on January 29

BJP leader Amit Malviya:

• Criticised CM for delayed response

• Questioned why Fire Minister reached the site after 32 hours

Voices from the Ground: Families Speak

Relatives of missing workers described harrowing last moments.

• Uttam Hazra Pachim, relative of missing decorator worker Krishnendu Saha, said:

“His phone is switched off. Police gave no response.”

• Mousmi Halder, wife of a victim:

“He called me at 3 am and said I won’t be alive… When I reached, the fire was too intense.”

Who Is Responsible?

Families have named 14 missing workers, including:Sujit Singh, Bimal Maity, Subrata Khara, Nantu Khara, Kartik Jana, Raju Manna, Soumitra Mandal, Buddhadeb Jana, Gurupada Sahoo, Krishnendu Dhara, Biswajit Sahoo, Anup Prasdhan, Basudeb Haldar, and Pankaj Haldar.

Investigators are probing:

• Illegal construction in wetland area

• Absence of fire clearances

• Administrative oversight failures

• Conflicting safety compliance claims

The Bigger Question

As rescue operations continue and more bodies are feared under debris, the Anandapur warehouse fire has exposed systemic failures in industrial safety enforcement, raising urgent questions about:

• Illegal warehousing

• Worker safety

• Accountability of landlords and authorities

Further updates are awaited as investigations progress.