Why Surat Textile Market Fire Was Unstoppable

Surat : The devastating fire that engulfed Shivshakti Textile Market on Ring Road has left Surat residents questioning the efficiency of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) and the Surat Disaster Management Group. With polyester-based textiles fueling the flames, the blaze lasted far longer than expected, exposing serious gaps in fire preparedness. Safety expert Dr. Pankaj Gandhi from SVNIT, Surat, provides crucial insights into the disaster, highlighting systemic issues that make Surat’s textile markets highly vulnerable to fires.

Why Did the Fire Last So Long?

According to Dr. Pankaj Gandhi, polyester fiber and fabric—both derived from petroleum products—are highly flammable. “Once ignited, the fire won’t extinguish until the oxygen supply is cut off through cooling,” he explained. Drawing parallels to the Indian Oil Corporation oil tank fire in Hazira, he emphasized that preventing the spread is more critical than attempting to douse a burning fuel-based fire.

The same principle applied to Shivshakti Market, where cooling the unaffected areas was essential to containing the fire. However, inadequate firefighting measures meant that the blaze spread rapidly, causing extensive damage before being brought under control.

Surat’s Textile Markets: Power Overload and Fire Hazards

Beyond polyester’s flammability, another major contributor to fire risks in Surat’s textile hubs is the unregulated expansion of market spaces. Dr. Gandhi pointed out that electricity infrastructure in these markets is originally planned based on an estimated number of shops. However, once markets are operational, open spaces like passages, galleries, terraces, and parking areas are illegally converted into additional shops, godowns, and restaurants.

This unplanned expansion increases power consumption far beyond the intended load capacity. When power demand exceeds the capacity of electrical cables, overheating occurs, making electrical fires inevitable. Dr. Gandhi warned that in such an environment, “once a fire starts, stopping the oxygen supply and removing flammable materials becomes the only way to prevent further destruction.”

Regulatory Gaps and the Need for a Safety Audit

Despite its massive textile industry, Surat lacks stringent fire safety audits for its commercial textile markets. Dr. Gandhi stressed the need for an annual safety inspection of market premises, stating that while textile markets are classified as commercial spaces, they also function as storage godowns. However, factory inspectors do not hold responsibility for their safety, creating a dangerous regulatory loophole.

To address this, he suggested that the Gujarat government empower the SMC with the authority to mandate and enforce fire safety audits. The SMC, being responsible for city infrastructure, should have legal backing to ensure compliance and take action against violations.

The Historical Context: A Warning Ignored?

Surat has faced catastrophic fires in the past, and the lessons from history remain unheeded. Dr. Gandhi recalled the 1880 Ruwala Hill fire, one of the most destructive fires in the world at the time, which was caused by an oil spill. The parallels to today’s textile market fires are alarming—both involved petroleum-based materials and rapid, uncontrollable flames.

Engineering and Scientific Measures to Prevent Future Fires

Given that Surat’s textile markets are essentially clusters of petroleum-based products, fire incidents are bound to occur unless drastic measures are taken. Dr. Gandhi urged Surat’s Disaster Management Group to adopt scientific and engineering-based solutions to mitigate risks. These include:Enforcing strict power load regulations to prevent cable overheating.Mandating annual fire safety audits for all textile markets.Improving emergency response strategies, ensuring fire equipment is suitable for petroleum-based fires.Creating buffer zones and ensuring proper spacing between storage units to slow fire spread.Training traders and market owners on fire prevention measures and emergency protocols.

The Shivshakti Market fire is not just an isolated incident—it is a stark warning about the larger fire safety crisis looming over Surat’s textile industry. Without urgent action, the risk of another devastating fire remains dangerously high.