A massive blaze that swept through a commercial complex housing a shopping mall and two SBI branches in Guwahati was finally brought under control on Thursday evening—nearly 40 hours after it began—officials said. Fire tenders from the Indian Air Force, Indian Army, and Guwahati Refinery joined the state fire services in the prolonged operation. The fire broke out around 12.30 am on Wednesday at Swagata Square Complex, located at ABC Point. The building includes the premium and commercial banking branches of the State Bank of India (SBI) as well as the popular shopping mall Sohum Emporia.
A senior Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) official told PTI, “The fire was controlled at 4 pm. However, we will monitor the building throughout the night and conduct a thorough search during daylight tomorrow.” He added that the complex would be handed back to the owners and relevant authorities only after expert teams complete a detailed safety assessment. Altogether 28 fire tenders were deployed, with additional support arriving from Morigaon, Kamrup, Nalbari and Darrang districts. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was also called in with specialised smoke-reduction equipment.
In its evening bulletin, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) confirmed that the fire had been controlled but said operations would continue for several more hours.
The agency added that the cause of the fire remains unknown, and the NDRF has been released from duty. Only one fire service person sustained minor injuries during the entire operation and was treated at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital. The blaze, which initially appeared contained on Wednesday evening, unexpectedly flared up again and engulfed the entire back section of the 4th floor, officials said. Kamrup Metropolitan Deputy Commissioner Sumit Sattawan, who visited the incident site, said preliminary findings suggest the building had all required safety clearances. Authorities will wait for the final report from the F&ES Department before deciding on any action.
The ASDMA earlier noted significant damage to the upper floors, with a detailed loss assessment to be done once the building is fully secured.
Large crowds gathered near the site, many of them SBI customers anxious about valuables stored in bank lockers inside the building. F&ES Deputy Director Nanda Singh said two SBI officials entered the premises with protective gear to check sensitive documentation areas and found that all important papers remain safe. He added that SBI’s chief fire officer, who arrived from Mumbai, will inspect the site on Friday.