Gujarat: Soap factory gutted in fire, no casualties reported

Ahmedabad, May 22 A major fire broke out at a soap and powder factory in the Deesa GIDC industrial estate on Thursday, reducing goods and machinery to ashes.

The blaze, suspected to have been triggered by a short circuit, exposed a glaring lack of basic fire safety infrastructure at the site.

Upon receiving the alert, teams from the Fire Department, Deputy Collector Neha Panchal, DySP, municipal officials, and emergency staff rushed to the scene.

Firefighters battled the flames using water jets and were eventually able to bring the situation under control. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported.

Deesa Deputy Collector Neha Panchal confirmed that the fire occurred at a small-scale soap manufacturing unit in GIDC.

"No untoward incident occurred. The Fire Department responded swiftly and contained the blaze. The preliminary cause appears to be a short circuit," she said.

Factory owner Jugal Maheshwari also cited a short circuit as the cause and stated that the fire was first noticed through CCTV footage. “There is no estimate of the damage yet,” he said.

He acknowledged the absence of fire safety arrangements in the factory, admitting, “It was our fault. There were no fire safety facilities in place. Had they existed, the fire could have been controlled earlier.”

Gujarat has witnessed a concerning rise in fire-related incidents over recent years, highlighting significant lapses in fire safety measures across various sectors. Between 2018 and 2022, the state reported approximately 3,100 fire-related incidents, resulting in 3,176 fatalities.

Notably, in 2021 and 2022 alone, 729 fire accidents led to 737 deaths. Industrial areas have been particularly affected. Over two years, Gujarat recorded 193 industrial fires and construction site accidents, causing the deaths of 88 workers. A tragic example is the fire at the TRP Game Zone in Rajkot on May 25, 2024, which claimed 27 lives, including several children.

Investigations revealed that the facility lacked basic safety features such as emergency exits and had a history of previous fire incidents. Urban centres like Ahmedabad are also grappling with fire safety challenges.

The city averages 38 residential fires monthly and, in the 2023–24 period, reported 18 incidents in showrooms and restaurants, 33 in shops and offices, and 210 fires caused by electrical short circuits.

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