Fire breaks out at gym in Ahmedabad’s Shangrila-2 arcade, several rescued, vehicles gutted

A fire broke out at a gym operating inside the Shangrila-2 Arcade near Shyamal Crossroads in Ahmedabad on Monday, prompting a large-scale firefighting and rescue operation in which several people were evacuated from the commercial complex.

According to preliminary information, the blaze originated from an AC unit in the gym located inside the building and intensified within minutes, spreading upward to the fourth floor of the arcade. The fire also extended to the ground-floor branch of Kotak Mahindra Bank housed in the complex.

As thick smoke engulfed the building, panic gripped occupants and visitors inside the premises.Fire department officials said teams launched an immediate rescue operation after several people were trapped on the upper floors.

Around 50 persons stranded inside the building, including those on the fourth floor, were rescued safely by firefighters.Officials said multiple vehicles parked in the premises’ parking area were gutted in the fire.

The Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency teams rushed to the spot shortly after the incident was reported and launched rescue and firefighting operations. Several persons trapped inside the building were safely evacuated by emergency responders, officials said.

A total of 35 fire fighting vehicles were rushed to the spot to control the situation, including many Senior fire officials. The officials are still trying to  control the blaze, using water jets after sustained firefighting efforts.

There were no immediate reports of fatalities, though the exact number of injured, if any, was not immediately known.

Authorities are yet to ascertain the cause of the fire. A detailed investigation is expected to be undertaken once cooling operations are completed.

The incident caused panic in the busy Shyamal Crossroads area, with smoke billowing from the commercial complex and drawing large crowds as emergency services worked at the site.