Punjab Newsline | Noida
Two people were killed and two others, including a child and a young woman, suffered serious burn injuries after a massive fire broke out in a five-storey residential building in Noida on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred around 11 a.m. in the Mamura area of Sector 66.
The deceased woman has been identified as Neha Srivastava (22), a native of Bihar. The identity of the second victim, a young man, has not yet been established.
According to the preliminary police investigation, the fire is suspected to have started after an electric scooter battery exploded while the vehicle was being charged in the building's basement. The flames rapidly spread through the entire structure, reducing 30 to 40 motorcycles parked inside to ashes.
Firefighters rescued nearly 50 families trapped inside the building using ladders stretched between adjacent rooftops. Residents on the lower floors managed to escape on their own, while those living on the upper floors had to be evacuated through neighboring buildings.
Seven fire engines were rushed to the spot, but firefighting operations were hampered by heavy congestion and narrow lanes, forcing the vehicles to remain on the main road while hoses were extended to the building. It took firefighters nearly three hours to bring the blaze under control.
Police have taken the building owner into custody as the investigation continues. The building housed around 60 rooms and was occupied by a large number of working professionals and their families. Authorities are probing possible safety violations and the exact cause of the fire.
