Smoke billows from the Taxshila Complex after a fire engulfed the third and fourth floor of the coaching centr... Read More

SURAT: At least 19 students, including 16 girls, died after a fire ripped through a private art coaching centre on the third floor of an illegally constructed commercial complex in Sarthana.

About a dozen students jumped off the third and fourth floors of Takshashila Arcade to escape the blaze, but three of them fell to death.

The students, mostly in their teens, were attending classes at Smart Design Studio on the third floor when the fire broke out because of short-circuit in one of the AC ducts. Hours later, the fire brigade team brought out 16 bodies from the classroom, most charred beyond recognition.

“I saw debris falling from the third floor terrace that was covered. But suddenly, some children, including girls, started jumping off,” Alpesh Vekariya, an eyewitness, said. Those present at the site said had the fire brigade brought a life-saving net, injuries to these students could have been avoided. Visuals show the fire brigade had just one ladder, which barely reached the third floor.

“Takshashila Arcade had permission for just one floor, but two additional storeys were illegally constructed. Also, the design centre’s owners had illegally occupied the terrace and put up a makeshift dome that was six-foot high,” chief fire officer Basant Parikh said, adding that around 50 burnt tyres were found on the terrace.

The state government immediately shut down all private coaching institutes across Gujarat , pending fire safety inspection. “All such educational institutes, malls and commercial complexes will be strictly scrutinised,” chief minister Vijay Rupani told reporters at the Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education and Research Hospital. He also declared financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh for the family members of each victim.

There are close to 3,000 private coaching and tuition centres in the city that operate out of shopping complexes. Most of them function without any fire safety equipment even as the Surat Municipal Corporation remains a mute spectator.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted expressions of grief. “Extremely anguished by the fire tragedy in Surat. My thoughts are with the bereaved families,” Modi tweeted. “May the injured recover quickly. Have asked the Gujarat government and local authorities to provide all possible assistance to those affected,” he said in another tweet.

This is the second major fire at a coaching institute in Surat in seven months. A blaze had killed three students and a teacher in Aagam Arcade at Vesu last November 26.

Municipal commissioner M Thennarasan, who was on summer leave, shifted the blame on Varaccha fire officer, saying that he had failed to identify the violation of safety norms in the building. “We have decided to suspend him,” said Thennarasan.

Special commissioner U Upadhyay, in charge of fire & emergency services, Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), said: “The fire started due to short-circuit in one of the AC ducts on the ground floor near the ladder on the rear side of the building and spread to the third floor.”

Deputy chief minister Nitin Patel said the government has ordered an inquiry to be conducted by additional chief secretary, urban development. “The inquiry report will be submitted within three days. Complaints of the fire brigade being ill-equipped to handle the situation will also be probed,” Patel said.

In 2004, 94 primary schoolchildren were charred to death in Kumbakonam school fire accident in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, when the thatched roof of the school caught fire. The tragedy had led the Supreme Court to issue sweeping fire safety directives, ordering all government and private schools to strictly comply with various safety measures. The apex court had also directed governments not to recognize schools that do not comply with safety measures.



In Video: Surat fire: Students trapped in blaze at tution centre jump from 2nd floor