Surat: In a shocking incident, a major fire broke out in a commercial building near the outskirts of the city this afternoon killing at least 17 people, mostly students.  The building houses a coaching center in the second floor where nearly 50 students were in attendance.

Fire engulfed the third and fourth floors of Taxshila Complex in Sarthana area, said an official at the Surat fire control room.

Dramatic visuals emerged of several students jumping off from the fourth floor of the building to escape the fire & save their lives. These students were immediately admitted to a near by hospital. The students were preparing for an entrance exam at the tuition center.

At least 15 dead bodies were recovered. Reports say the death toll is set to rise considering the magnitude of the fire.

19 fire tenders were rushed to the spot for rescue & relief operations but by the time they reached the blaze had engulfed major portions of the top floors. Billows of smoke were seen from the spot. The fire, however, was contained even as rescue officials were searching for more bodies.

It is suspected that short circuit was the reason of the fire. The fire broke out from the electrical poles outside the building which then spread into the building.

"Around ten students trapped on the third and fourth floors jumped from windows to save themselves from fire and smoke. Many have been rescued and sent to hospital. The operation to douse the fire is on," the official said told news agency PTI.

The coaching centre was being run on the covered roof-top, which effectively became the fourth storey, and there was a wooden staircase to reach there, witnesses told news agency IANS. The authorities of the Surat Municipal Corporation were inquiring whether the building had taken the statutory permission, including regarding fire safety.

PM Narendra Modi  reacted on Twitter saying he is extremely "anguished" by the fire tragedy and asked the Gujarat government and local authorities to provide all possible assistance to those affected.




Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who ordered an investigation into the incident by Mukesh Puri, Principal Secretary, Urban Development, himself rushed to Surat. He also announced a financial help of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the students who died.

(This is a developing story. More details are awaited.)