A massive fire erupted on Wednesday afternoon at the Ather Company warehouse in Sachin Hojiwala Industrial Estate, on the outskirts of Surat, triggering chaos across the area.
Fuelled by large quantities of chemicals, the blaze intensified rapidly, sending thick black smoke billowing up to five kilometres into the sky.
The incident was marked by more than 30 powerful explosions in chemical drums, boilers and gas cylinders, which shattered windows of nearby properties. In response, the Surat fire department issued a "major call", deploying over 20 firefighters to the scene. The two-storey warehouse collapsed under the intensity of the fire, spreading destruction to four adjacent mills and yarn godowns, including Shree Geeta Timber Plywood and Shakti Plywood. Geeta Timber was completely reduced to ashes.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Parmar said that a one-kilometre radius was cordoned off as a precaution. No casualties have been reported. However, the incident has reignited anger among locals, as memories remain fresh of the November 2023 fire at the same company that claimed 10 workers' lives.