The fire broke out on the third and fourth floor of Coaching Centr building called Takshashila Complex in Gujarat’s Surat. 19 students, in the age group of 14-17 years, died due to fire and jumping off the building.
The fire, which broke out at around 3:30 pm, engulfed the top two floors of Takshashila Complex in the Sarthana area of Surat. It was not immediately clear what caused the fire. In no time, huge plumes of smoke covered the area. Local residents came to the rescue.
A fire official said 19 fire engines were sent in to control the fire. “Students on the fourth and third floor jumped off to the ground to save themselves from fire and smoke. Many have been rescued and sent to the hospital. The operation to douse the fire is on,” the fire official told news agency PTI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the incident. “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,” he wrote on Twitter.
An investigation has been ordered into the incident and the state government has promised to give Rs. 4 lakh to each of the families of those killed.
Fire safety is one of the most neglected security check in India. More than 17,000 people died in fires in 2015 alone, according to government data, the last year for which figures are available, one of the largest causes of accidental death in the country.
