Over 100 rescued after fire in Noida PG caused by gas leak; none hurt

The fire, triggered by a gas cylinder leak during cooking, broke out in a PG accommodation in Nayagaon village, Sector 87, trapping several occupants on the terrace

More than 100 people were rescued after a massive fire broke out at a four-storey residential building in Noida’s Sector 87 late Tuesday night, fire officials said. No casualties were reported and no one sustained burn injuries or suffered from smoke inhalation, they added.

Despite the difficulty posed by the narrow street and lack of crane deployment, firefighters managed to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to upper floors, officials said. (HT Photos)

The fire, triggered by a gas cylinder leak during cooking, broke out in a paying guest (PG) accommodation in Nayagaon village, Sector 87, trapping several occupants on the terrace, fire officials said. Efforts are still underway to determine the number of tenants in the building and how many were inside at the time of the incident.

The incident was reported to the fire department around 11.30pm, when two men approached a nearby fire station and alerted officials, according to Gautam Budh Nagar chief fire officer Pradeep Chaubey. “Upon getting the information, a team of firefighters was dispatched, and hydraulic cranes were sent to rescue the people,” Chaubey said.

While six fire tenders from nearby stations were rushed to the scene, officials said the hydraulic cranes were not used as “most residents had already moved to the terrace from lower floors.” “The building, which is used as a PG facility with multiple tenants, is located in a narrow lane, restricting direct access for fire tenders,” they added.

According to a fire official, who requested anonymity, “The fire broke out in a room on the first floor due to a gas cylinder leakage while cooking. As the fire spread swiftly to adjacent rooms, people gathered on the terrace. The exit was also blocked due to the fire.”

The official further said that one gas cylinder and a refrigerator exploded after flames reached two to three rooms. “We used hosepipes and breathing apparatus sets to enter the building. We somehow managed to control it within the first floor after an hour of efforts. Later, all the people stuck on the terrace were rescued,” the official added.

Despite the difficulty posed by the narrow street and lack of crane deployment, firefighters managed to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to upper floors, officials said.