Anandapur fire: Wow! Momo says three dead, announces compensation

Three dead in Wow! Momo warehouse fire in Kolkata; company announces compensation for families, fire reportedly spread from neighbouring premises

Quick service restaurant (QSR) chain Wow! Momo on Wednesday said three lives were lost in a fire that ravaged its warehouse premise in Anandapur, Kolkata.

 

In a statement, the company said that at 3 am on Monday, fire from a neighbouring warehouse spread into its premises. It completely gutted one of its warehouses at Anandapur.

 

“Our hearts are immersed with grief and pain for having lost two of our valued employees and NIS-contracted security guard in this entire catastrophe,” the statement read.

 

The QSR chain has announced a compensation package that includes a lump-sum payment of ₹10 lakh per affected family, a lifetime monthly salary for the bereaved and full educational support for the child in the family.

 

 

Wow! Momo also said the fire from the neighbouring premises reportedly started due to unauthorised cooking at their warehouse.

 

“We are also a victim in this; our employees lost lives,” said a spokesperson of the company. He added that it had rented a small space for a warehouse in a godown owned by Pushpanjali Decorators.

 

A devastating blaze broke out at the Pushpanjali Decorators' godown early on Monday and quickly spread to an adjoining building that housed Wow! Momo’s warehouse. Both premises are owned by Pushpanjali.

 

The exact number of casualties in the fire is yet to be ascertained, but it is being described as one of the city’s worst fire tragedies. 

 

As of Tuesday, reports indicated a toll of 11 while families of 17 workers had filed missing diaries.

 

DNA tests would be conducted to ascertain identities of the victims. On Tuesday, the police detained the owner of the decorator agency.