Massive fire in multi-storied commercial complex in Surat finally controlled after over 32 hours of dousing operation

Surat: The massive fire that broke out in a multi-storied commercial building in Kadodara area of Surat city in the wee hours yesterday has been finally controlled today after 32 hours of extensive dousing operation involving more than 70 fire fighting vehicles and over 300 fireman.

The fire in the Raghuvir Celeum building on Puna-Kumbhariya road in the city had started at around 3 am yesterday and the fire-call was received by the SMC fire station here at around 0345 am. A fireman of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) fire station identified as one Nikunj Patel had also sustained injury during fire dousing operation.

The huge complex that was opened in the later half of 2018 had a total 422 shops and office spaces of which a little over 200 were actually occupied with most of it being textile/cloth related units and there were also a few office of chartered accountant firms and others.

According to a senior fire officer of the SMC, the flame engulfed almost the whole of the one building and the second one near it in the two wing complex. However, no loss of life has been reported so far as the fire occurred during late night to early morning and no one was present in it.

He said that the fire has been controlled after around 32 hours of operation at around 1145 hrs today. However the cooling operation was on even after that.

A huge portion of the building has sustained damage and it is estimated that loss to the tune of crores of rupees has taken place in the incident.

‘The loss is apprehended to be to the tunes of crores of rupees but the actual damage could be assessed only after completion of the cooling operation,’ the fire officer said.

Notably, a fire had also broken out in the same building on January 8 but it was controlled soon without much damage.

The reason behind the fire has not yet been known yet it is feared that it might have been triggered by short circuit.

One fireman identified as Nikunj Patel who has sustained injuries due to a broken glass sheet during the fire fight operation was taken to hospital.

The whole area has yet been cordoned off and police has been deployed.

An SMC official said that a detailed probe of the incident would also be taken up on the instructions of the state government.

DeshGujarat