The devastating fire at a food processing factory in Anandapur’s Nazirabad area, near Kolkata, has once again exposed alarming gaps in industrial safety and regulatory oversight. At least eight workers lost their lives, while more than a dozen remain missing, after a blaze engulfed a storage unit and spread to an adjoining fast-food manufacturing facility in the early hours of January 26.
Fire breaks out while workers were asleep
According to preliminary investigations, the fire reportedly started late Sunday night in a decorator’s storage unit before rapidly spreading to the nearby factory. Around 20–25 workers were believed to be inside the premises, many of them asleep. Survivors and officials said the flames spread swiftly, exits were blocked, and the main door could not be opened in time, trapping workers inside. Most of the victims are believed to have died due to suffocation.
Factory allegedly operated without fire clearance
The incident has sparked outrage after the Director General of the West Bengal Fire Department stated that the factory was operating without mandatory fire safety permission. Senior officials, including the state fire services minister, visited the site as firefighters battled the blaze for hours. Charred debris remains scattered across the area, and search operations are ongoing to locate those still missing.
Families demand answers and accountability
Families of the missing workers have lodged complaints with the police, naming several individuals who were present at the site. Many of the victims were young and sole breadwinners, intensifying public anger and grief. Opposition leaders have termed the incident a result of administrative negligence and lax enforcement of safety norms.
Probe underway into negligence and violations
Authorities have assured a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire, possible criminal negligence, and violations of safety regulations. The tragedy has once again highlighted the urgent need for strict enforcement of fire safety norms, especially in industrial units operating in hazardous and unauthorised locations.