Surat Fire: Family Rescued from Third Floor as Kitchen Blaze Traps Four

Surat, Gujarat – Panic gripped the Vaishnodevi Blue Bells Apartment in Jahangirabad during the early hours of Friday as a fire broke out in a third-floor flat, trapping a family of four in their own home. In a dramatic rescue operation, the Surat Fire Department saved all four members using a ladder after the kitchen blaze blocked the main exit.

The fire reportedly began around 3:26 am in the kitchen of flat number 302, occupied by 48-year-old Vinodbhai Patel, his wife Mayaben (47), and their sons Nandan (26) and Kashyap (22). As smoke engulfed the house and the flames spread toward the exit, the family rushed to the gallery, where they were stranded with no way out.

“There was no way to enter from the front due to intense flames. We had to carry out the rescue from the rear side using a ladder,” said Fire Officer Dhaval Mohite, who supervised the operation.

“The fire likely started due to a short circuit in the fridge. The kitchen and hall furniture were completely gutted.”

Upon receiving an emergency call, the Surat Fire Control Room dispatched teams from Morabhagal, Palanpur, and Adajan fire stations. Recognizing the severity of the situation, a hydraulic platform was also sent from the Adajan fire station to aid in the high-rise rescue.

Firefighters broke the bars of the third-floor gallery and used a 35-foot ladder to bring all four family members safely to the ground. The operation took about an hour and a half, during which the fire was also brought under control.

“We are extremely grateful to the firemen. We were terrified, trapped, and could see nothing but smoke and flames. They saved our lives,” said an emotional Vinodbhai Patel after the rescue.

Though visibly shaken, the family sustained no injuries. They were provided first aid on-site by a 108 emergency ambulance and shifted to the hospital as a precautionary measure.

The fire, which is suspected to have originated from an electrical short circuit, completely destroyed the kitchen and living room of the Patel residence. Prompt action by the fire department averted what could have been a devastating tragedy.