Noida, July 15 (IANS) Two people lost their lives in a major fire that broke out at a five-storey building in Mamura village under the Phase 3 police station area of Noida.
Over 100 occupants were safely evacuated. A man and a woman were in critical condition and transported to a nearby hospital, where the doctors declared them dead.
The building owner and the leaseholder have been taken into custody, officials said.
According to the preliminary investigation, the fire was caused by a spark in an electric scooter which was being charged. Following the spark, nearby petrol-powered vehicles caught fire, causing the blaze to spread rapidly throughout the building.
Upon receiving the information about the fire, police and fire department personnel rushed to the spot and launched rescue operations.
Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control after evacuating the occupants trapped inside the smoke-filled building.
According to the eyewitnesses, several people felt suffocated due to the fire.
Speaking to IANS, a resident, Arnab, said, "At around 11 o'clock, an electric scooter was being charged in the basement parking area. Suddenly, there appears to have been a short circuit, and the scooter caught fire first. The flames then gradually spread to everything nearby. People felt suffocated due to the smoke."
"Locals also assisted with the rescue operations. A few labourers who were working nearby helped the people on the top floors come down through their stairs. Over 150 people were safely evacuated, and the fire tenders are working to douse the blaze," he added.
Speaking about the incident, DCP (Central) Shailendra Kumar Singh said, "Today, under the Phase 3 police station area, in a residential building in Mamura sector, an electric scooter that was plugged in for charging in the parking lot caught fire. The fire spread to the nearby area, creating massive smoke that reached the upper floors and rooms of the building."
He said police and fire services responded immediately after receiving information about the fire.
"Upon receiving this information, a large force of police personnel along with fire tenders rushed to the spot immediately," he said.
According to Singh, more than 100 people were rescued during the operation.
The dense smoke that spread through the building complicated the rescue efforts, but emergency personnel were able to evacuate the residents in time.
"Over 100 people were successfully rescued and brought to safety. During this, two people fell ill and were transported to the hospital by ambulance for treatment. The status of their health is awaited," Singh said.
Singh stated that a case has been registered against the leaseholder and the operator of the building under relevant legal provisions for alleged negligence, and both have been taken into custody.
Further details are awaited.
--IANS
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