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2 dead, 11 injured as short circuit and cylinder blasts gut Surat embroidery factory

According to officials, the fire broke out in a ground-plus-three-storey building at Bharatnagar, near Maruti Chowk in Kapodara

2 min readSuratMar 19, 2026 02:58 PM IST

The embroidery unit at Kapdoara in Surat that caught fire on Thursday. (Express photo: Hanif Malek)

Two labourers were killed, and 11 others were injured in a major fire that broke out at a textile embroidery factory in Surat early on Thursday.

According to reports, the fire broke out in a ground-plus-three-storey building at Bharatnagar, near Maruti Chowk in Kapodara, due to a suspected short circuit and was later aggravated by an LPG cylinder explosion.

The fire has been brought under control after three hours, said fire officials, adding that the condition of some of the injured workers is critical.

The factory workers undergoing treatment following the blast the Surat factory unit

The factory workers undergoing treatment following the blast at the Surat factory unit. (Express Photo/Hanif Malek)

Surat Fire officer Ranjit Khadiya told The Indian Express, “The fire broke out due to a short circuit on the first floor of the building, which spread to the second and third floors. Due to the fire, the LPG cylinders exploded, adding fuel to the fire. Huge embroidery machines and textile materials, finished and unfinished fabrics, were gutted in the fire”.

Fire and police department officials reached the scene, rescued 13 labourers who incurred minor to major injuries, and rushed them to SMIMER hospital.

Some labourers had rushed out of the building soon after the blast.

Hospital authorities declared Hareram Yadav, 25, a native of Uttar Pradesh, and Ibrahim Shaikh, 36, a native of West Bengal, dead on arrival.

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Officials taking stock of the fire that broke out in a four-storey factory at Bharatnagar, near Maruti Chowk in Kapodara. (Express Photo/Hanif Malek)

The officials found nine LPG gas cylinders at the site. R B Goziya, Varachha police inspector, said that the workers stayed in the same building. “They had kept LPG gas cylinders for cooking. We have registered an accidental death in the incident and have started a probe,” he said.

The three floors of the building are owned by different people, and the loss incurred by the owners has been estimated, the police said.

Kamal Saiyed

Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs. Expertise Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs. Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including: Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives. Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress. Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli). Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region ... Read More

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