NOIDA: A fire that broke out in a multi-storey residential building in Noida on Wednesday, killing two people, has raised serious questions over safety measures.Residents alleged there was no dedicated charging point for electric vehicles and that an e-scooter was plugged into a regular power socket, news agency PTI reported.Police suspect the blaze started while an electric two-wheeler was being charged inside the building in Mamura village under Sector 66.The flames later spread to petrol-powered two-wheelers parked nearby, turning the ground floor into an inferno.The fire was eventually brought under control, and around 50 tenants were safely evacuated. However, a man and a woman succumbed to their injuries.The deceased woman has been identified as 22-year-old Sneha Srivastava, who suffered nearly 40% burn injuries. The identity of the deceased man, believed to be around 30 years old, is yet to be ascertained. Officials said he sustained around 80% burn injuries.Joint commissioner of police Rajiv Mishra said the ground-plus-four building had 10 to 12 rooms on each floor that were being used as residential flats.Following the incident, police arrested the landlord after registering an FIR at Phase-3 police station under relevant legal provisions.
Residents point to safety lapses
Residents who escaped the blaze described chaotic scenes as thick smoke engulfed the building within minutes.Arnab Singh, a resident of the second floor, said many initially believed the fire was confined to an electric scooter and would die down on its own, PTI reported.“When smoke started billowing out, we rushed out of the building. A little later, we saw the fire spreading and realised that several petrol-powered motorcycles parked nearby had also caught fire,” he said.Singh alleged there was no dedicated charging point for electric vehicles in the building.“The scooter was plugged into a regular electrical socket, which was also used to operate a water pump. It could have caused the short circuit that triggered the fire,” he claimed.
Residents escaped through terrace
Another resident, Ravi Kumar Singh, said he was asleep when the fire broke out at around 11. 30am, PTI reported.“Soon our room filled with smoke. We realised the blaze below had intensified and ran towards the terrace,” he said.According to him, several residents escaped by climbing onto the roof and crossing over to a neighbouring building using a ladder, as the staircases had filled with dense smoke.After reaching safety, they saw the parking area on the ground floor engulfed in flames.Ravi Kumar Singh said a section of the building functioned as a paying guest accommodation, while the remaining units were rented out as 2BHK flats to families.The ground floor was used as a parking area where residents kept their two-wheelers.
Fire suspected to have started during EV charging
Police said preliminary findings indicate the fire started while an electric two-wheeler was being charged, before spreading rapidly to nearby petrol-powered vehicles.Seven fire tenders and a hydraulic platform were deployed to douse the flames, while most residents were evacuated safely.Police also said two people with pre-existing health conditions fell ill after inhaling smoke and were shifted to the district hospital.The exact cause of the fire is being investigated.(With agency inputs)
