Massive Blaze at Swagata Square Doused After 40 Hours; Serious Lapses in Emergency Response Emerge

A devastating fire that broke out just after midnight on Tuesday reduced Swagata Square—a major commercial complex in the ABC area—to a burnt-out shell after nearly 40 hours of uninterrupted firefighting.

The multi-storey building houses SBI’s Zonal Office, its Commercial Branch, the SBI Premium Banking Branch, and the popular Sohum Emporia shopping mall, all of which suffered severe damage.

How the Fire Began

The blaze reportedly started from the upper floors of Sohum Emporia, located inside the Swagata Square building, around 12:35 AM on December 9. Within minutes, flames spread through the building’s interior, sending thick smoke billowing across the neighbourhood.

Fire and Emergency Services struggled to gain access to the structure due to choking smoke and the building’s constrained internal layout. Visibility on the second and third floors dropped to near zero through the day, complicating the operation.

More than 25 fire tenders from multiple fire stations were deployed as the fire escalated. For several hours, firefighters were unable to move upward due to the intense heat and toxic fumes trapped between floors.

A Joint Operation to Control the Blaze

By the evening of December 10, teams managed to partially control the fire in the lower affected sections, but flames continued to burn fiercely in the upper areas, especially around the fifth floor of the complex.

On December 11, the NDRF joined Fire & Emergency Services in a coordinated effort. After hours of high-risk operations, the fire was finally brought under control by Thursday evening.

Public Outrage Over Emergency Response

As the fire raged through Swagata Square, local residents voiced severe criticism against the Fire and Emergency Services, accusing authorities of poor preparedness and slow response. Many alleged that the building’s limited access points and flawed internal design made rescue and control operations extremely difficult.

Officials have since confirmed that Swagata Square lacked mandatory fire-safety clearances, including the essential Fire & Emergency Services NOC.

Building Permissions Under Scrutiny

The incident has put intense pressure on the Guwahati Municipal Corporation, responsible for ensuring adherence to building plans, fire exits, water reservoirs, and emergency equipment during construction approvals.

Whether these checks were carried out at Swagata Square is now under investigation. Sources indicate that officials involved in granting permissions may face formal inquiry for alleged lapses.

SBI Moves to Reassure Customers

Senior SBI officials visited the site on Thursday but were unable to enter the burnt structure due to extreme heat. They informed the public that:

• Bank lockers remain safe

• Loan-related and other critical documents are secure

• A final assessment will be possible once the building cools

• Customers need not panic

A Wake-Up Call for Guwahati

The total destruction of Swagata Square has exposed alarming weaknesses in the city’s enforcement of safety norms. As multi-departmental investigations begin, Guwahati is left asking urgent questions about accountability, compliance, and the safety of its commercial hubs.

Also Read: Assam: Massive Fire Guts Guwahati’s Sohum Emporia, SBI Offices Suffer Massive Losses