NEW DELHI: A major fire broke out in a high-rise residential society in Indirapuram on Wednesday morning, triggering panic among residents. The blaze was later brought under control after a coordinated firefighting operation, officials said.
Ten people, including a teenager and two octogenarians, were rescued, and no casualties have been reported. Around eight flats were gutted, though the exact extent of damage is still being assessed.
The fire erupted on the ninth floor of Gaur Green Avenue Society around 8:30 am and quickly spread to the tenth and eleventh floors, filling the building with dense, toxic smoke. Fire officials said the blaze was contained by around 11 am.
The Vaishali fire station received a call at 8:48 am reporting the incident. Fire teams rushed to the spot and found several residents trapped inside their flats, officials said.
“Flats on multiple floors were engulfed, and the entire building was filled with smoke. Several people were trapped,” a senior fire official said.
Firefighting operations began immediately, with teams laying hose lines through stairways and using the building’s fire safety systems. Given the scale of the incident, additional fire tenders and hydraulic platforms were deployed, with support sought from neighbouring Gautam Buddh Nagar.
As the flames spread upwards, panic gripped residents. Rescue teams evacuated people through stairways while continuing efforts to control the blaze. Firefighters also forced open several locked flats using rescue cutters to extinguish flames inside. Their prompt action prevented the fire from spreading further, saving around 20 nearby flats.
A total of 17 fire tenders and two hydraulic platforms were deployed, with around 70 personnel working for nearly two hours to douse the flames. Civil Defence teams, police, SDRF, and medical staff also assisted in the operation, official said.
Chief Fire Officer Rahul Pal said, “We received information about a fire on the ninth floor. Our teams were deployed immediately for rescue and firefighting. Several people were trapped. A woman and an elderly man on oxygen support were rescued and taken to hospital. The fire was spreading rapidly but has been brought under control.”
Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mandar said a short circuit appears to be the prima facie cause of the incident. “One elderly man and a woman faced breathing difficulty due to smoke but are now stable. Teams are checking all flats to ensure no one is trapped. A detailed investigation will confirm the exact cause,” he said.
Residents recounted the chaos during the incident. One resident said, “We managed to escape with great difficulty. There is no possibility of anyone being trapped now.”
Another resident, Ajay Sharma, said he helped in the rescue. “There was a lot of commotion, so I rushed upstairs. I broke the glass of the firefighting system, took the hose pipe, and helped. Two families were trapped and were rescued,” he said.
Meera, a resident, said she rushed home after getting a call. “People said some work was going on the ninth floor. A short circuit and an AC blast may have triggered the fire,” she said.
Meanwhile, in Lucknow, an official statement said UP CM Yogi Adityanath has taken cognisance of the incident and directed the Ghaziabad police commissioner and the district magistrate to remain present at the spot and supervise relief
WHAT HAPPENED?
8:30 am: Fire breaks out on the ninth floor of the society
8:48 am: Fire department receives the alert
Soon after: Firefighters reach the spot; 17 fire tenders, two hydraulic platforms and around 70 personnel deployed
Around 11 am: Fire brought under control after nearly two hours
Possible cause
Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mandar said a short circuit appears to be the prima facie cause of the incident.