19 feared dead in massive fire at Surat commercial complex; PM Modi expresses condolence
Several students were feared dead after a major fire broke out on the top floor of a three-storey building of Taxashila Arcade in Gujarat’s Surat on Friday afternoon. According to the sources, the fire broke out in a tuition class on the second floor of the commercial complex next to Nature Park and Zoo, run by Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) in Sarthana area. Many students trapped inside the building began to jump out from the covered terrace, on not finding a way to escape. Videos of the fire that went around showed smoke billowing from the building as people desperately hung on the outside of the building to the window panes, while some, not finding anything to hold on to, fell to the ground even as fire fighters were struggling to evacuate. Several passersby who took videos, reported to the fire department. “Extremely anguished by the fire tragedy in Surat. My thoughts are with bereaved families. May the injured recover quickly. Have asked the Gujarat Government and local authorities to provide all possible assistance to those affected,” PM Modi tweeted.
