Two dead, three injured after fire breaks out at leather manufacturing unit in Tiljala
Telegraph | 13 May 2026
Two men died and three were injured after a fire broke out at a leather goods manufacturing unit in Tiljala around 1pm on Tuesday.
The victims, believed to be employees of the unit, suffocated after they locked themselves inside a bathroom, thinking it would offer protection from the smoke.
The injured were admitted to Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, where two were declared dead on arrival. The condition of the remaining three is critical, doctors said.
The state government directed Kolkata Police to register an FIR and initiate a probe. Police commissioner Ajay Nand and senior officers visited the GJ Khan Road building, which housed the unit.
Nand said preliminary findings suggested an electrical fault may have triggered the fire. Forensic experts are still examining the cause.
The government also constituted a four-member committee to investigate whether the building had permission to operate a manufacturing unit. The panel includes secretaries of the MSME department, fire services department, the Kolkata Police commissioner, and the commissioner of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. It has been asked to submit a report to chief secretary Manoj Agarwal by 11am on Wednesday.
The five-storey building had manufacturing units on the second and third floors, while the top floor had the owner’s residence, according to local residents. The ground floor was a garage.
“The fire broke out around 1pm. There were no large flames but it generated heavy smoke. The men trapped inside locked themselves in a bathroom, thinking they would be safe,” said local resident Sakib Ahmed.
“As smoke filled the room and the bathroom, they suffocated.”
A statement from Kolkata Police said four fire tenders brought the blaze under control by 2.45pm.
The police had not released the identities of the deceased or the injured till late Tuesday. “All five were taken to hospital. Two were declared dead. The condition of the three admitted patients is critical,” said Arghya Maitra, principal of the medical college.
Additional commissioner of police (VI) Ashesh Biswas said a forensic team would soon inspect the site.
“We visited the place of occurrence. There were burn injuries, but inhalation of smoke appears to have made them sick. It appears they were employees... but investigation will reveal whether any family members of the owner were present,” he said.
The police have sealed the premises. “We will see what documents are there and seize them,” Biswas added.
“The building also had a residence. We will check whether it had permission to run a factory, a fire NOC, an electricity licence and MSME registration,” a senior state government official said.
An eyewitness said many workers had stepped out for lunch when the fire started. On returning, they found the building engulfed in smoke, which had also spread to the road outside.
A former employee said more than 50 people used to work at the unit.