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Mystery fire claims 12 in Surat

Vikram Vakil in Surat

A mysterious fire claimed 12 lives in Surat, an industrial town in south Gujarat, on Sunday evening.

The fire occurred when a religious ceremony was under way at Suresh Valekar's residence.

According to Unnatiben Kosambia, an eyewitness, "The fire pot suddenly flared up. The sari of a woman seated nearby caught fire. The smoke from the fire filled the room and no one knows what happened after that."

Seven women died on the spot, while five died in hospital. Two victims were pregnant.

The injured, most with 80 per cent burns, were taken to the city's civil hospital. Its burns department's air-conditioner was, however, out of order, resulting in many victims screaming due to unbearable pain.

Valekar refused to talk to the media, but his sister Shakuntala Kanurkar, who herself has suffered 85 per cent burn injuries, alleged to rediff.com, "A brother-in-law is not on good terms with Suresh. After the religious function, he came to the room and tampered with the lamp, which resulted in the fire."

The police and fire brigade authorities are investigating the fire.

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