Surat: Two women reportedly died in a fire at the Amrutaya Spa and Gym, located above Fortune Banquets in the Shiv Pooja Complex in the Citylight area of Surat today.

According to fire officials, the gym was closed, but the spa was operating when the fire broke out. The cause of the fire is believed to be a short circuit. Five staff members were inside at the time, but three of them managed to escape in time. Meanwhile, two female spa staff members, who locked themselves in a washroom to escape the smoke, died due to suffocation.

The fire was first reported around 7:30 p.m., after which around 10 teams from Surat Fire and Emergency Services (SFES) arrived at the location. A total of 10 firefighters and two water bowsers joined the firefighting efforts along with a team of 50 fire personnel. Fire teams used a turntable ladder to enter the premises and bring the fire under control. Firefighting units from Majuragate, Vesu, Man Darwaja, Bhimrad, and Navsari Bazaar also participated in the operation.

It is learned that the deceased women were between the ages of 25 and 27 and hailed from the northeastern part of the country. Their bodies have been sent to New Civil Hospital for postmortem, but due to severe burns, their faces are unrecognizable. The police are conducting the verification process and further investigation into the fire incident.

City Mayor Dakshesh Mavani reached the scene. Speaking about the incident, Mavani said that the fire broke out in a salon due to a suspected short circuit. “I arrived at the scene as soon as I received the information. The fire is now fully under control, but tragically, two women have died. The bodies of both women have been sent to the Civil Hospital for post-mortem examination. Preliminary investigation suggests that 4-5 people were inside at the time of the incident. Two women were trapped, while three others managed to escape. Officials have been instructed to conduct a thorough investigation, and if any negligence is found, we will take legal action.”

Divisional Fire Officer Harish Gadhvi said, “There is a gym named Gym 11. The gym and a saloon are made on the same floor. The gym was closed due to Diwali and 5 people were working in the saloon. Three people escaped from there seeing smoke. The other two were northeastern women, who couldn’t escape. The fire department rescued both of them and sent them to the civil hospital. Their condition at the time of rescue was serious… The FSL team has been called. The three people who escaped will also be interrogated. The reason for the fire would be investigated. DeshGujarat