Ghaziabad High-Rise Apartment Ravaged by Fire, Family Escapes Harm
A devastating fire erupted in a third-floor apartment at Classic Residency, a high-rise society in Ghaziabad, around 1 pm on Friday, resulting in extensive property damage. Fortunately, there were no casualties as the family residing in the flat was out at the time of the incident.
Residents and Officials Respond to the Blaze
Footage from the scene captured flames rapidly spreading through the apartment and thick smoke billowing from the balcony, affecting residents on upper floors. According to a society resident, the maintenance staff and security guard immediately attempted to douse the fire using available equipment while alerting the fire department.
Vikash Chaudhary, president of the society's AOA, criticized the delayed response from fire services, highlighting a critical infrastructure gap. He noted that Raj Nagar Extension, home to over 40 high-rise societies, lacks a fire station, with the nearest one in Kotwali being 30 minutes away.
Fire Department's Account and Suspected Cause
Ghaziabad's chief fire officer, Rahul Pal, stated that they received the alert at 1:21 pm. Two fire tenders from Kotwali and the collectorate were dispatched, taking nearly 25 minutes to control the flames. Pal reported that while some valuables, including flat documents, two gold bangles, and a gold ring, were salvaged, the rest of the 2 BHK apartment was destroyed.
He identified the flat as belonging to Rakesh Nigam and suggested that an earthen lamp (diya) left burning for worship might have ignited the fire, which then spread to the kitchen and engulfed the entire space.
Second Fire Incident in Kotwali Area
In a separate incident later that day, a warehouse storing paint and thinner in the Kotwali area caught fire around 4 pm. The fire department suspects a short circuit as the cause. Two fire tenders were deployed and managed to bring the blaze under control within 30 minutes.
This series of fires underscores ongoing concerns about fire safety and emergency response times in rapidly urbanizing areas like Ghaziabad, prompting calls for improved infrastructure and public awareness.
