1 dead, 26 rescued as 2 dilapidated buildings collapse in north Kolkata
Times of India | 19 August 2026
Kolkata: A 53-year-old woman lost her life even as 19 others residing in the same three-storey dilapidated building in north Kolkata had a miraculous escape on Tuesday morning after it collapsed in the wake of continuous rain. Six hours later, a few kilometres away in central Kolkata, seven other residents of a rickety building in Burrabazar area were rescued after a portion of another three-storied building collapsed.
The first incident took place around 4.15 am after a large portion of a century-old building at 31, Brajadulal Street in Ward 24 in the Jorabagan Police Station area collapsed. Like 16 other residents in the building, victim Urmila Shaw was sleeping along with her husband, Manoj, and two sons – Abhishek and Vivek. “We were sleeping when it felt tremors. A similar feeling took place a day ago during the torrential rain. However, soon it felt that portions of the building were crumbling. Every one of us woke up and pushed each other out. I shouted at my mother to rush out. She was about to step out when a portion of the building crashed on her. Everyone survived except my mother,” said Abhishek, a parking attendant at a local hospital.
As soon as information was received, teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), DMG and local police reached the spot and launched a rescue operation. According to former KMC councillor (now a BJP MLA) Vijay Ojha, the Trinamool-led KMC board had failed to convince the residents to move out. “It is unfortunate that the elderly woman lost her life for no fault of her. The civic body should have taken timely steps to avert such an accident,” said Ojha.
“Despite the rear portion collapsing six months ago, why were strict steps not taken to vacate the entire building? Why was the dispute between the landlord and tenants not resolved in time? When plaster and bricks had been falling since Monday night and a complaint had been made, why was immediate action not taken?” asked a local.
In the other incident, reported from adjoining Ward 23, at Sikdarpara Lane in Posta, another building partially collapsed, trapping seven persons. According to KMC administrator and municipal commissioner Smita Pandey, the dangerous portions of the building in Jorabagan will be demolished without damaging the adjacent buildings. Pandey said fresh notices would be sent to owners of insecure buildings, asking them to conduct urgent repair work. “The KMC buildings department advises against living in dangerous buildings. However, due to legal complications and on humanitarian ground, the civic body can’t take stern action,” said the KMC administrator.