Ahmedabad: A tragic fire incident at Gyanda Society near Jivraj Park crossroads in Ahmedabad claimed the lives of a mother and her son on Sunday. The blaze, triggered by exploding AC gas cylinders stored in a residential house, caused panic and extensive damage to surrounding properties and parked vehicles.

The fire erupted in a house reportedly storing a large quantity of AC gas cylinders. Multiple blasts followed, rapidly escalating the situation and engulfing the house in flames. The intensity of the fire also affected adjacent buildings and vehicles parked outside. Fire tenders from various fire stations in Ahmedabad rushed to the scene and managed to bring the blaze under control after significant efforts. The local MLA also visited the site to assess the situation.

Tragically, the fire resulted in the severe injury and subsequent death of a mother, Saraswati Ben, and her son, Soumya, who were present in the house when the incident occurred. Police have initiated a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Following the devastating incident, allegations of negligence have surfaced against the house owner and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). Officials of Gyanda Society revealed that they had raised concerns about the misuse of the residential property for commercial storage a year prior to the incident and had issued a notice to the house owner. It has also come to light that the society had written to the AMC regarding the matter.

Eyewitnesses described a terrifying scene as the gas cylinders exploded. Nileshbhai Upadhyay, a resident of Gyanda Society, recounted the initial confusion, mistaking the sounds for children playing. However, the subsequent loud blasts prompted him to rush outside, where he witnessed the inferno engulfing the neighboring house. He stated that the situation was chaotic for about 15 minutes, and the fire was so intense that it reached his own property.

The chairman and secretary of Gyanda Society confirmed that they had issued a written notice to the house owner, Jagdishbhai Meghani, a year ago. The notice, sent on the society’s letterhead, explicitly warned against storing AC-related materials and gas cylinders on the premises, highlighting the potential fire hazard. The society urged Meghani to remove the stored items immediately to avoid inconvenience to residents and prevent any untoward incident, stating that he would be held responsible for any such eventuality. Despite the warning, the materials reportedly remained stored on the property, ultimately leading to the tragic incident.

Further compounding the allegations of negligence, Gyanda Society revealed that they had also lodged a formal complaint with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on March 5, 2024. In a letter addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of the South West Zone of the AMC, the society detailed that Jagdishbhai Meghani of Bungalow No. 24 was operating an AC raw material supply business and using his residential property as a warehouse. The letter specifically mentioned the presence of AC gas cylinders and the potential risk of fire, urging the municipal corporation to take necessary action. However, the society alleges that no action was taken by the Deputy Municipal Commissioner and the Estate Department of the South West Zone despite the clear warning.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the house owner, who runs an air conditioning business, had stored a significant quantity of AC-related materials at his residence, including an estimated 2000 small gas cylinders and copper wires. This large volume of flammable materials is believed to have contributed to the intensity and rapid spread of the fire. DeshGujarat

 

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