A huge blaze engulfed the Annapurna Girls Hostel in Greater Noida’s Knowledge Park-3 complex on Thursday night, causing panic among residents. The fire, said to have begun with an explosion of an air-conditioner, quickly spread and prompted a few girls to attempt jumping from the second floor in an effort to escape.
When the building was being consumed by the fire, two girls who were stuck on the second floor tried to escape the fire. One managed to access a rescue ladder provided by the locals, but the other lost her hold and fell. Luckily enough, authorities assured that she did not suffer any critical injuries and is in stable health.
#Fire breaks out at a #girls‘ #hostel in #GreaterNoida. Students jumped to safety, but one girl slipped and injured her leg. pic.twitter.com/TKeZU50RIq
— Akashdeep Singh (@akashgill78) March 28, 2025
AC Explosion Suspected as Cause of Fire
Early reports indicate that the fire was caused by an explosion of an air-conditioning unit. The fire quickly spread, and it was a frightening experience for the hostel dwellers. Although most of the girls escaped in time, the vision of heavy smoke and raging flames caused shockwaves in the locality.
Locals and firemen quickly responded to the emergency. Witnesses told of the panic moments as the fire raged, with hostel inmates screaming for assistance while passers-by made a beeline to help.
Fire Department’s Quick Action Averts Casualties
The Greater Noida Fire Department received the distress call about the accident at around 5:00 PM. The Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Pradeep Kumar Choubey attested to the fact that firefighters moved with speed to put the situation in control.
Last night at around 5 PM, we got information that a fire broke out in Annapurna Girls Hostel in Knowledge Park-3. Our team immediately reached the spot and controlled the fire. Our Fire Safety Officer (FSO) was also on site,” CFO Choubey said.
The authorities assured that there was no casualty, and all legal action required was being done.
Investigation Underway
The reason behind the AC explosion is still being investigated, and authorities are determining if the hostel had proper fire safety measures in place. Local authorities, in the meantime, are requesting hostels and residential complexes to maintain electrical appliances properly to avoid such accidents in the future.
The quick response of fire personnel and residents played a crucial role in preventing a major tragedy. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of fire safety in residential buildings.
