Fire at DGGI office damages records linked to GST probes

Surat: A major fire broke out on Monday morning at the office of the Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DGGI) on VIP Road in Vesu area, damaging a record room that housed a large number of official files and documents.

According to officials, the blaze erupted in the record room on the fourth floor of the White House complex. Surat Fire and Emergency Services received the emergency call at around 9.20am and rushed multiple teams to the spot.

Firefighters said the flames were largely confined to the record room, preventing the fire from spreading to other sections of the office premises.

A significant number of files and documents stored in the room were damaged in the fire. Several records also suffered water damage during the firefighting operation. Officials said the extent of the loss and the possibility of recovering any material would be assessed after the site is secured and declared safe for inspection.

No casualties were reported. Officials said only a few staff members were present at the office early in the morning, and the fire remained restricted to the record room area.

Teams from Vesu, Bhimrad, Rundh and Majura Gate fire stations participated in the operation. Six firefighting vehicles, including a turntable ladder, were deployed to control the blaze on the upper floor and prevent further spread.

The DGGI handles investigations into major GST evasion cases, raising concerns that records linked to ongoing probes may have been affected. Officials are yet to ascertain whether any key evidence or investigation-related documents were destroyed and whether the damage could impact future investigations or prosecutions.

The exact cause of the fire has not been confirmed. However, people present at the office told fire officials that a short circuit may have triggered the blaze.