The fire engulfed the third and fourth floor of a Taxshila Arcade in Sarthana area.
Nineteen people, mostly students, were killed after a building in Surat caught fire today afternoon. The students studying in a coaching centre died and many were seen jumping off the multi-storey building in Surat that caught fire. The fire engulfed the third and fourth floor-- where the coaching centre ran-- of a Takshashila Arcade in Sarthana area of Surat, officials said. There were 120 students registered in the coaching class. Nineteen fire tenders and two hydraulic platforms were pressed into service to douse the flames and for rescue operations, an official at the Surat fire control room said. Television footage showed students jumping off the third and fourth floors of the building. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted about 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."
Here are the updates from the fire in Surat's Takshashila Complex:
NDTV has been informed that the owners of the Takshashila Arcade in Surat are on the run.
Footage of the fire incident in Surat showed people trying to grab a large banner on the side of the building as they plummeted down.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda has spoken to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani regarding the fire at a coaching centre in Surat, assuring all help, news agency ANI said. The Union Minister has also directed the AIIMS trauma centre director to render all help. It was also reported that a team of doctors from the burn and trauma department of AIIMS Delhi has been constituted and put on alert.
Around 10 students on the fourth and third floor jumped off to the ground to save themselves from fire and smoke, news agency Press Trust of India quoted a fire official.
The fire that broke out in Surat's Takshashila Arcade has been doused.
Navsari lawmaker CR Patil told NDTV that the building which caught fire had no fire exit, adding that the fourth floor of the Takshashila Arcade - where the coaching centre was located - was an illegal construction.
Surat MP Darshana Jardosh told NDTV that some of those who jumped off the building to escape the fire are seriously injured and have been admitted in hospital, adding that two are critical.
Many children trapped in the fire in the Surat coaching centre reportedly died of the fall. The children were aged between 14 to 17.
The coaching centre in Surat where the fire broke out catered to school children from Class 9 to Class 12. Reports suggest since summer vacations were on, the students who were preparing for their Class 10 and Class 12 boards exams were in the coaching centre at the time of the incident.
Gujarat Chief Minister's Message After Fire Incident In Surat:
The fire engulfed the third and fourth floor of the commercial building in Surat:
Images of rescue operations underway at the site of the fire incident in Surat:
The fire broke out in the Surat building at around 3:30 pm. It is reported that there was a construction done on the terrace of the building where classes were conducted. When the fire broke, the students reportedly had no way to escape and hence broke the glass windows to jump off.
It is being reported that the fire station in Surat was just 2 km away from the building but the fire spread rapidly, before it could be controlled. NDTV was told that Sarthana area in Surat is a crowded and congested area, due to which it took fire engines more than 10 minutes to reach the building where the fire broke out.
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has ordered an investigation into the Surat coaching centre fire incident. The Chief Minister has also declared financial help of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of children who have died in the fire incident.
Locals were seen helping in the rescue operation to save stranded students as well as other occupants of the four-storey building.
In a video clip of the incident, some young students can be seen coming out of the windows of a coaching class and jumping off from the third and fourth floors amid thick smoke coming out from the building.
"Students on fourth and third floor jumped off to the ground to save themselves from fire and smoke. Many have been rescued and sent to hospital. The operation to douse the fire is on," said a fire official.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted about the incident: