Bengal Momo Factory Fire : At least 21 people were killed and 28 others are still missing after a massive fire engulfed two godowns and a momo manufacturing unit in Anandapur, located in South 24 Parganas district near Kolkata, West Bengal. The devastating blaze broke out in the early hours of January 26 and spread rapidly, leaving behind charred structures, unanswered questions, and grieving families. Rescue teams continue to search through the debris, with officials warning that the death toll may rise further as several workers remain unaccounted for.
Police have registered an FIR against the owner of the factory, Gangadhar Das, who has been absconding since the incident. Senior officials confirmed that his mobile phone has been switched off and multiple police teams are conducting raids to trace his whereabouts. Authorities said all possible locations linked to him are being verified as part of the investigation.
According to preliminary findings, the fire originated at a neighbouring warehouse, allegedly due to unauthorised cooking activities, before spreading to the momo manufacturing unit and adjacent godowns. Firefighters struggled for hours to bring the blaze under control as flammable materials inside the premises intensified the flames. The scale of destruction made rescue operations extremely difficult.
The momo company associated with the gutted facility said it lost three personnel, including two employees and a contracted security guard. In a statement, the company announced a compensation package of ₹10 lakh for each affected family, along with lifetime monthly salary support for the next of kin and education assistance for the children of the deceased. The company said the incident had deeply impacted its workforce and extended condolences to all affected families.
The West Bengal government has also announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹10 lakh for the families of the victims. State officials said the compensation would be released after proper identification of the bodies. Given the severity of the fire and the condition of the remains, authorities plan to seek court permission to conduct DNA tests to establish identities.
Fire department officials have pointed to serious regulatory lapses at the unit. They confirmed that the factory was operating without mandatory fire safety clearance and lacked essential safety approvals. The findings were shared in the presence of Fire and Emergency Services Minister Sujit Bose, raising concerns over enforcement of safety norms in industrial and storage facilities.
So far, one person has been arrested in connection with the incident, and officials indicated that further arrests could follow as the probe widens. Investigators are examining issues of negligence, safety violations, and accountability, while disaster response teams remain on site to locate the missing.
The Anandapur fire has once again exposed the risks posed by inadequate safety compliance and poor regulation. As families wait anxiously for news of their loved ones, the tragedy has intensified calls for stricter oversight to prevent such catastrophic incidents in the future.