Ghaziabad, April 30 -- Firefighters battling the blaze at a high-rise in Indirapuram on Wednesday morning appeared to be slowed by a string of on-ground constraints - from inadequate initial equipment to control a fire raging several floors up, to choked access caused by parked cars and a large park abutting the tower, and delays compounded by peak-hour traffic - all of which, residents of the society alleged, stretched the operation to over two-and-a-half hours before the flames were finally brought under control.

The fire at Gaur Green Avenue, a residential complex with 447 flats, left at least eight apartments completely gutted and four to six others damaged, according to officials.

Residents, some of whom recorded and shared videos ...