PG facility gutted in fire near Mithakhali

AHMEDABAD: Vishal Gheravda and his friends lost all their belongings to a fire that on Sunday afternoon gutted the third floor of 57, Shrimali Society, where they stayed as paying guests. Gheravda, a native of Junagadh and an IT engineer, and the other youths who study and work in the city, had gone out for lunch when their accommodation caught fire reducing their clothes, electronic equipments and other valuables to ashes.
The distraught youths were seen struggling to come to terms with the fact that they had lost the roof on their heads and would have to seek new shelter for the night.
A team of Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services (AFES) doused the flames after a nearly two-hour long operation. AFES officials were yet to ascertain the reason for the fire, but they suspect overheating of wiring.
Rajesh Bhatt, additional chief fire officer, AFES, said that two firefighters, six water tankers and a hydraulic crane were pressed into operation. Senior officials including chief fire officer M F Dastoor also attended the call.
“Fortunately, there were not many students when the incident took place, otherwise it would have been difficult for them to escape. On the basis of primary questioning, we got to know that the premises where the incident took place belongs to Sapna Infrastructure. The firm had converted the entire floor into smaller rooms with 11 wooden compartments that are being used as PG facility,” said Bhatt.
Officials said that it was apparent from the design that the floor was not originally meant for residence and thus had no easy exits for such emergencies. A fireman, identified as Nilesh, sustained injuries after suffering a cut from a glass shard during the operation, added officials. AFES personnel also climbed terraces of nearby buildings to shoot water jets to contain the flames. Navrangpura police took an application of complaint in the case.