CHENNAI: At least 29 people were rescued after a major fire broke out in a five-storey building in Anna Salai on Thursday. No casualties were reported, according to the fire and rescue service personnel. While the cause of the fire is not yet clear, fire officers said that they suspect short circuit in the old wiring lines of the building.
At around 11 am, smoke emerged from the office of Devaraj Computers Private Limited, housed inside the GG complex, next to Shanthi Theatre. After the fire control room was alerted, at least six fire tenders from Triplicane, Anna Salai, Egmore, Anna Square, Marina and Teynampet rushed to the spot with a huge skylift. Over 20 water tankers and eight ambulances were kept on standby.
“Around 29 people were trapped on the third and fourth floor of the building. While a team of fire personnel rushed through the steps and evacuated a few through the door, they found it difficult to enter the fourth floor engulfed in smoke. The skylift was pressed into service and nine people, including a baby and its mother, were rescued through the skylift,” said a fire officer on the spot.
Meanwhile, the city police, personnel led by Assistant Commissioner MS Baskar, along with the public moved the vehicles parked under the building. “Since the building is located just a few metres away from the main road, several two-wheelers and cars were parked there. We pushed the cars away from the spot and two wheelers were hand-lifted and shifted to the main road. This was to make way to the fire tenders,” said a senior police officer.
The fire personnel found it difficult to control the curious crowd. Traffic flowing from Gemini flyover was diverted towards Casino Cinemas and to join the Wallajah Road at Anna Statue. L Kumara Rajan, who works in a private company on the second floor of the building said that he was just entering the premises when he noticed the smoke. “I heard cries for help and soon a group of people were seen emerging from the building. All staff were evacuated,” said Kumara Rajan.