Ghaziabad’s Khoda area witnessed a dramatic midnight blaze that trapped 150 in a towering residential block, leaving over 20 with serious injuries from burns and inhalation. Originating at the base near stairs and the electrical panel, the ground-floor fire exploded into a smoky inferno engulfing the entire five-level building.
Positioned by Birbal Chowki near Golden Palace, this densely occupied complex with 40-45 apartments turned into a trap as acrid fumes climbed relentlessly. Residents pounded on doors and leaned from heights, awaiting salvation. At 11:47 PM, Vaishali firefighters got the SOS, surging 10 vehicles to the hotspot under CFO Rahul Pal.
The arriving teams confronted hellish conditions: voracious fire on access points shrouded in choking clouds. Launching a bold rescue, they hoisted ladders skyward, breached balconies, and hauled out the vulnerable—prioritizing children and elderly. Simultaneously, water jets targeted the blaze’s core.
In an exemplary display of heroism, rescuers freed all 150, though 20-22 grappled with smoke poisoning and singes, swiftly transported to medical facilities. Field medics tended to the mildly affected. Police and local authorities facilitated seamless logistics amid the turmoil.
Control was achieved after protracted combat with the flames. Investigators sift through debris for clues, eyeing electrical glitches as culprits. The ordeal, while averted from worse fates, exposes systemic vulnerabilities in fire safety for crowded city dwellings, spurring calls for mandatory drills, sprinklers, and vigilant inspections.