Surat, Gujarat: A massive fire at a four-storey cloth market in Surat has been raging for over 24 hours, with flames reigniting on Wednesday morning. The building, which houses more than 800 shops, has turned into a furnace, making it difficult for firefighters to enter.
Chief Fire Officer Vasant Kumar Parikh said the intense heat and large stock of flammable material inside the building have made firefighting operations challenging. &ldquo;We received the first call at 8 am yesterday. Due to the fire&rsquo;s intensity, we are unsure of the building&rsquo;s structural stability. That&rsquo;s why we are using a hydraulic platform to douse the flames from outside,&rdquo; he said, adding that nearly half the shops have been gutted.
Around 30 fire tenders have been engaged in the operation. Firefighters suspect a short circuit may have triggered the blaze on the upper floors, as thick smoke was seen billowing from the structure.
Kailash Hakim, president of the Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association, described the situation as critical. &ldquo;The fire department and police are doing their best, but the fire keeps flaring up. Firefighters from across the city have been deployed. We pray for the situation to be brought under control soon,&rdquo; he said.
The market had witnessed another fire just a day earlier. On Tuesday, a worker died of suffocation after a fire broke out in the basement, where clothes were stored. That fire was controlled within a few hours, but the fresh outbreak has escalated into a major crisis.
Firefighting efforts continue as officials assess the structural stability of the building.

There are more than 800 shops in the complex

Massive fire guts over 50% of shops; firefighters struggle to contain flames amid high heat

Surat Cloth Market Fire Rages on After 24 Hours

Massive fire guts over 50% of shops; firefighters struggle to contain flames amid high heat

February 27, 2025 | 10:40 IST