Anandapur, South 24 Parganas: The death toll from the devastating fire at a Wow! Momo warehouse near Kolkata has climbed to 21, while 28 people remain missing, sparking fears that the number of casualties may rise further.

The massive blaze erupted around 3 a.m. on January 26 in the Anandapur area, engulfing two godowns and a manufacturing unit linked to the popular quick-service restaurant and packaged food brand, Wow! Momo. One of the warehouses reportedly stored dried flowers, while the other housed food processing and storage facilities.

The intense fire reduced large sections of the buildings to rubble, leaving behind charred structures and severely damaged remains of workers believed to have been trapped inside at the time of the incident. Rescue and recovery operations have been ongoing amid hazardous conditions caused by unstable debris and lingering smoke.

Officials confirmed that DNA mapping of the 21 recovered bodies or body parts is expected to begin on Thursday to help establish the victims’ identities. Authorities are coordinating with forensic teams and victims’ families as efforts continue to trace the missing.

An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire, with safety lapses and storage conditions among the key areas under scrutiny. Meanwhile, state officials have assured support for affected families and vowed strict action if negligence is found.

The tragedy has raised serious concerns over fire safety standards in industrial and warehouse facilities across the region.