16 Girls Among Students Killed in Surat Fire Tragedy
At least 19 students died after a fire ripped through a private art coaching centre in a commercial complex in Surat that had violated several norms to illegally construct two floors. Sixteen of those killed were girls.
About a dozen students jumped off the third and fourth floors of Takshashila Arcade to escape the blaze, but three of them fell to their death.
The students, mostly in their teens, were attending classes at Smart Design Studio on the third floor when the fire broke out because of short-circuit in one of the AC ducts. Hours later, the fire brigade team brought out 16 bodies from the classroom, most charred beyond recognition.
(Source: The Times of India)