Surat: At least 10 shops were gutted in a fire that broke out on the first floor of Sangini Textile Hub’s B building in Saroli area on Monday. No casualties were reported, but large quantities of textile material were destroyed by the blaze and during firefighting operations, officials said.Surat Fire and Emergency Services (SFES) received an emergency call around 3pm. Firefighters dispatched at least 24 firefighting vehicles from 15 fire stations to the site. The response included fire engines and water tankers, while two turntable ladders and a hydraulic ladder were pressed into service to tackle the flames from a height and reach inner areas of the building.Fire crews brought the blaze under control by the evening. A prolonged cooling operation followed to prevent flare-ups, as the market complex stores a significant amount of textile products.“Within three hours the fire was controlled and the cooling process continued. The fire systems of the market were found to not have been working properly,” an SFES official said.The incident marks the fourth fire reported in Surat’s textile markets in a month, raising concerns among traders and authorities about recurring fires in densely stocked commercial complexes.Earlier incidents include a fire at Shyam Sangini market in Saroli on Sept 9, followed by another at Salasar market in Saroli on Sept 16. A third fire was reported at Regent Textile market on Sept 24.A police investigation into the Shyam Sangini market fire had revealed alleged arson by a former employee, who reportedly set textile material on fire after not being paid his salary.
