NOIDA, July 16 -- As smoke billowed out of the multi-storey building in Mamura village, Noida, on Wednesday morning and cries for help from upper-floor windows filled the air, firefighters grappled with the challenge posed by the narrow lanes of the locality. Experts say the deadly blaze once again highlights the cost of unplanned and rapid urban expansion.

The first response vehicle reached the area within eight minutes, said chief fire officer (CFO) Pradeep Chaubey. But the narrow approach roads meant the fire engines could not reach the building directly. Firefighters stretched hoses from the nearest accessible point and moved forward on foot.

"The biggest challenge was access. We had to lay hoses from wherever the vehicles could rea...