Fire at girls’ PG in Gr Noida, one falls from second floor balcony during rescue

The private PG has more than 26 branches across the district. No FIR has been registered so far and further investigation is underway.

A massive fire broke out at a three-storeyed girls’ paying guest (PG) accommodation after the air conditioner compressor in a second-floor room exploded in Knowledge Park 2 of Greater Noida on Thursday evening, officials said on Friday.

Visuals from the site of the fire in Greater Noida. (Sourced photo)

Two fire tenders rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control within an hour, but since it had spread rapidly by then, girls panicked and tried to escape by jumping off the balconies.

CCTV footage that circulated on social media platforms showed two girls attempting to jump from the second-floor balcony when locals placed a ladder. During the rescue operation, one girl slipped and fell from the second floor.

While the girls have not been identified yet, the one who fell escaped with minor injuries, police said.

“On Thursday around 5.24 pm, locals alerted fire officials on the emergency helpline number that a fire had broken out at a girls’ PG in Knowledge Park 2. Upon receiving the information, two fire tenders were dispatched, and the fire was controlled within an hour. By the time we arrived, locals had already begun the rescue operation,” Knowledge Park fire officer Vinod Pandey said.

Vipin Kumar, station house officer of the Knowledge Park police station, said, “Upon investigation, we found that the fire broke out after the AC compressor exploded in a second-floor room. The girls who were present in the PG managed to escape, but when two girls, seen in the video, were being rescued, they lost their balance and fell to the ground. She is informed to be out of danger.”

Officials running the PG refused to comment when contacted by HT.

The private PG has more than 26 branches across the district. No FIR has been registered so far and further investigation is underway.