Massive fire at Guwahati commercial complex controlled after nearly 40 hours

A blaze that engulfed a commercial complex housing a shopping mall and SBI’s premium and commercial banking branches in Guwahati was contained on Thursday evening after 40 hours, with water tenders from the Indian Air Force, Indian Army, and Guwahati Refinery assisting in firefighting efforts, officials said.
The fire broke out at Swagata Square Complex in ABC Point around 12.30 am on Wednesday. Besides offices of the PSU lender, the complex also houses shopping mall ‘Sohum Emporia’.
“The fire was controlled at 4 pm. However, we will observe the building tonight and do a thorough search during daylight tomorrow,” a senior official of the Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) told PTI.
The building will be handed over to the owner and government agencies only after a proper safety check by the experts, he added.
The official said altogether 28 fire tenders were pressed into service since the incident, with additional units arriving from Morigaon, Kamrup, Nalbari and Darrang districts.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was also called in with high-tech smoke-reduction equipment to assist in the operation.
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) in its evening bulletin said though the fire is controlled, operations are still on.
“The situation will be observed for a few hours before closing the operation. NDRF has been released from the site,” it added.
The ASDMA stated that the actual cause of fire could not be ascertained till now.
During the entire firefighting operation, only one personnel sustained minor injuries and was treated at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital.
The fire was initially thought to be contained on Wednesday evening, but it suddenly engulfed the entire back portion on the 4th floor, another official said.
Visiting the site, Kamrup Metropolitan District Commissioner Sumit Sattawan said preliminary inquiries found that all safety clearances were availed by the building.
The authorities will wait for a final report from the F&ES Department after dousing the flame fully before taking any action, Sattawan said.
ASDMA in its earlier bulletin said fire personnel were attempting to control the spread of fire and prevent it from reaching the lower floors.
ASDMA said preliminary observation suggests significant damage to the affected floors, but a detailed assessment will be done once the fire is fully controlled.
Scores of onlookers, mostly customers of SBI, came hearing the fire and stood on the road seeing the operation. They expressed concerns regarding their valuables kept in the lockers, which were there inside the building.
F&ES Deputy Director Nanda Singh said two SBI officials entered the building wearing protection gears to visit the documentation portion and found that all important papers are safe.
“SBI’s chief fire officer has reached Guwahati from Mumbai. He has contacted us and will visit the bank tomorrow,” he added.