Noida, July 15 -- Two young professionals were killed and more than 50 residents were rescued after a fire, suspected to have been triggered by an electric two-wheeler being charged, broke out in a residential building in Mamura village of Noida on Wednesday, officials said.
The blaze started on the ground floor of the building, where an electric two-wheeler was being charged. According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle's battery allegedly exploded, setting nearby petrol-powered two-wheelers on fire. However, officials said the exact cause of the blaze is under investigation.
The fire quickly spread through the parking area, triggering a series of explosions as fuel tanks and tyres caught fire. Thick black smoke engulfed the building, trapping residents on the upper floors and plunging the structure into darkness after the electricity supply failed.
As panic spread, residents rushed to balconies and windows, shouting for help. Some attempted to jump from the building fearing suffocation, but were persuaded by police and firefighters to remain calm until rescue teams reached them.
Firefighters and police launched an extensive rescue operation immediately after receiving the emergency call. More than 50 people, including women, children, senior citizens and employees resting after night shifts, were evacuated from the smoke-filled building.
Chief Fire Officer Pradeep Kumar Chaubey said the rescue operation was particularly challenging as petrol-powered vehicles parked on the ground floor continued exploding.
"Bursting tyres and burning fuel generated dense smoke, reducing visibility almost to zero. The narrow approach lane also prevented fire tenders from reaching the building directly, forcing teams to lay long hose lines from a distance," he said.
The victims were identified as Sneha Srivastava, a resident of Bihar, and Rishabh Kumar, a native of Madhya Pradesh. Both worked for private companies in Noida and lived separately as tenants in the building. They suffered severe burn injuries and smoke inhalation after being trapped in the blaze and were declared dead at the district hospital.
The fire department said the ground-plus-four building had around 10 to 12 rooms on each floor that were being used as residential flats, most of them occupied by employees working in Noida and Greater Noida's IT, BPO, electronics and manufacturing sectors. Officials estimated that between 50 and 70 people were inside the building when the fire broke out.
A preliminary inspection revealed major fire safety lapses. Officials said the building lacked fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, fire alarms and hydrant systems. An FIR has been registered, and the building owner, who is also the leaseholder, has been arrested for alleged violations of fire safety norms.
The blaze destroyed more than a dozen two-wheelers and was brought under control after nearly two hours with the help of seven fire tenders and around 110 firefighters. Joint Commissioner of Police, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Rajiv Narain Mishra supervised the rescue operation, while police, fire and health department personnel coordinated efforts to evacuate residents and provide medical assistance.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the exact cause of the fire, while officials said the incident has once again exposed serious concerns over inadequate fire safety compliance in densely populated residential buildings.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.