Gujarat: The fire in Surat’s textile market is still uncontrollable even after 24 hours, loss of Rs 500 crore is expected

27 February (HS). Even after 24 hours of the fire in Shivshakti Textile Market located on Surat Ring Road, the fire could not be controlled. Due to this, the concern among the textile traders has increased. There is a possibility of loss of more than 500 crores from this fire. Surat Fire Department has been trying to control the fire with the help of more than 40 fire engines for the last 24 hours.

The fire that broke out in the basement of Shivshakti Textile Market in Surat a day ago on Wednesday morning could not be controlled. It has been more than 24 hours since the fire broke out. Fire engines and fire brigade personnel are continuously engaged in rescue. Meanwhile, the horrific scene of the fire at night has been captured in drone cameras. More than 800 shops have come under the grip of the fierce fire, out of which about 450 shops were burnt to ashes. If the traders are to be believed, then a loss of Rs 500 crore has been caused in this fierce fire.

Businessman Naresh Jain said that the fire in Shivshakti Market has caused heavy financial loss to the traders. The government should give us relief. Textile traders in Surat pay a lot of tax. They also pay tax to the corporation. The state government should announce an economic package for us. In the shops where the fire has not broken out, their business owners should be allowed to go with the fire department personnel or police so that their account books and other essential items kept there can be taken out and secured.

Businessman Nemaram said that there is a lot of stock in the shop. The fire is still increasing continuously. It is very difficult to say when the fire will be controlled. Due to the loss caused by this fire, many traders will now come on the road. Now there is no information about when these shops will open. It depends on the officials what action they take in this matter.

Businessman Akash Maldarecha said that there has been a huge loss in the cloth market. I have two shops of my own. It appears that one of my shops on the upper floor has been damaged. It is clear that many other shops are also on fire. We do not know what the actual situation inside is right now. But it seems that almost all the shops located on the fourth and fifth floors have been burnt to ashes by the fire.

Chief Fire Officer Vasant Parikh said that a fire has broken out in a large textile market. The temperature inside the market is very high due to the fire. It is difficult to control the fire by going inside right now. Fire brigade teams are working with hydraulic and gas cutters. Three personnel have been assigned to each shop to extinguish the fire. So far, 35 vehicles of Surat Municipal Corporation have been used. Apart from this, seven vehicles have also come from nearby industries and hydraulics are also being used. Currently 40 vehicles are working to control the fire. It is difficult to say when the fire will be controlled, because there is a lot of stock of clothes inside. About 50 percent of the 850 shops have been damaged by the fire.

Surat Municipal Corporation Commissioner Shalini Agarwal said that yesterday a major fire incident was reported in Shivshakti Market. The fire department teams are continuously making every possible effort to control the fire. In coordination with the collector and police, help of fire and manpower has been taken from Reliance, ONGC, Hazira, AIIMS. Various teams including medical teams have also been talked to and all have been kept ready. At present, every possible effort is being made to control the fire since this morning.

At the same time, Municipal Corporation Commissioner, Collector, Police Commissioner and others have reached the spot. After receiving information from Surat Fire Department, an ambulance has been sent from SMIMER Hospital to the Textile Market. Along with this, a staff of 25 to 30 people including four department heads, CMO and resident doctors has also been prepared in the emergency department. Preparations have been made in the hospital in case of any problem for the fire department personnel.