Four women, child dead as fire breaks out at house in Surat

Four women and a kid were killed aft a occurrence broke retired successful a three-storey location successful Gujarat’s Surat metropolis connected Tuesday greeting (March 31, 2026), constabulary said.

The incidental occurred successful the Mithi Khadi locality nether Limbayat constabulary presumption country astatine astir 10 a.m., erstwhile a household was engaged packing sarees utilizing foam sheets.

Fire brigade teams and ambulances rushed to the spot soon aft the blaze was reported and carried retired a rescue operation, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Kanan Desai said.

According to Ms. Desai, the occurrence broke retired successful a three-storey location that the occupants utilized for saree packing work.

“Since contiguous is simply a holiday, they had brought a ample magnitude of worldly for packing. After being alerted, the police, occurrence brigade and 108 exigency work unit reached the spot immediately,” she said.

When exigency teams entered the premises, the full country was filled with dense smoke, making it hard to entree the victims initially, the authoritative said.

“After the fume was brought somewhat nether control, it was seen that the beforehand country and the surrounding country were packed with foam sheets utilized for saree packing. Foam was besides kept adjacent the switchboard,” she said.

Preliminary probe suggests the occurrence whitethorn person been triggered by an electrical spark.

“Based connected our superior treatment with the occurrence brigade, we fishy that determination mightiness person been an electrical spark and resultant occurrence successful the foam placed successful beforehand of the switchboard. Since this foam contains chemicals, it generated dense smoke,” the DCP said.

“The victims succumbed to suffocation caused by the toxic smoke,” she said.

“Due to the fume and resulting suffocation, 4 women and a kid were severely affected. They were shifted to Civil Hospital successful superior information and aboriginal died during treatment,” Ms. Desai added.

The victims person been identified arsenic Shehnaz Begum Ansari (65), Husa Begam Ansari (18), Shabina Ansari (28), Parvin Abdul Ansari (19) and Subhan Ali Ansari (4), the authoritative said.

Eyewitness Yunus Khan claimed the occurrence dispersed rapidly owed to the beingness of highly inflammable materials.

“There were sacks of foam and sarees lying inside. When they caught fire, the household members panicked and moved to a backmost room, reasoning they would beryllium safe. But the foam contained chemicals and produced toxic gas, which caused their death,” helium claimed.

The victims came to Surat from Uttar Pradesh and were progressive successful saree packing work. While the women and a kid were astatine home, the antheral members had gone retired for work, Mr. Khan told reporters.