2 days Ago
1 2 3 Surat: A total of 131 National Security Guard commandos from the Gandhinagar regional hub were rescued by Surat Fire and Emergency Services (SFES) after they were trapped in a four-storey commercial complex due to a fire in the early hours of Saturday. The commandos were in the city for the past three days for a drill in association with city police but faced an actual emergency. A fire broke out in Shop 121 on the first floor of Exceluss Business Space, where four people were sleeping.
The fire is suspected to have been lit by a short circuit. Those inside the shop tried to control the fire but failed. They ran to call the fire brigade at the nearby SFES station.
The fire station is about 400 metres from the building. The SFES control room received a call about the fire at 4.55am.
When the fire team arrived, the shop was engulfed in flames which created heavy smoke that spread to the upper floors of the complex, which housed a hotel. The flames were doused in minutes, but the smoke spread through the upper floors and into the hotel, JMD Rooms and Banquets, on the third and fourth floors. "Due to the darkness at night and the smoke, those on the upper floors found it difficult to see and the smoke was suffocating them.
Most of the commandos were initially trying to get down using the stairs, but we told them to go to the terrace," said an SFES official. Eight commandos were on the third floor, while 123 jawans were on the fourth floor. "Soon after the commandos were secured on the terrace, a turntable ladder and hydraulic platform arrived.
We rescued 20 of them using the platform, while the others were later brought down via the stairs," a fire official said. The NSG team was in the city for the past three days for a drill. The drill was conducted at the SVNIT guest house in collaboration with the special operations group of city police.
The drill had left citizens puzzled as they saw heavily armed commandos on Gaurav Path with specialized vehicles. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Navratri Wishes , Eid Messages and quotes !.
