Kolkata: Firefighters on Tuesday continued to battle lingering flames at two adjacent warehouses in the South 24 Parganas district, more than 24 hours after a massive blaze killed at least eight people.

Authorities expressed concern that the death toll could climb as several workers remain missing and are feared trapped inside the gutted structures in the Najirabad area, located on the outskirts of Kolkata. The fire originally erupted around 3 am on Monday.

A fleet of 12 fire engines managed to bring the main inferno under control after a seven-hour effort, but persistent hotspots continue to smoulder throughout the buildings.

"Several charred bodies and skeletal remains have been recovered since Monday night, though the fire is still raging in pockets, raising fears that the toll may rise further," an official said Tuesday.

All identified victims and those reported missing hailed from the districts of South 24 Parganas, Purba Medinipur, and Paschim Medinipur. Due to the severity of the burns, officials from the fire department indicated that DNA testing will be required to confirm the identities of the remains.

The specific cause of the fire and the total financial impact of the property damage have not yet been determined.

Rescue teams initially discovered three badly burned bodies Monday evening, with five additional sets of remains located later in the night. Baruipur Superintendent of Police Shubhendu Kumar stated that the bodies were charred beyond recognition, making immediate identification impossible.

While authorities initially listed six people as missing, distraught family members at the scene suggested that more than 10 workers could be trapped within the ruins.

West Bengal Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose confirmed Monday evening that emergency teams remain on-site, working floor-by-floor to extinguish the remaining pockets of fire and continue the search for victims.

With inputs from PTI