'Contributed Nothing': Viral Videos Fuel Criticism of Noida Fire Officials After High-Rise Blaze
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
By Pranjal Gupta
Noida, June 5: Adding to the growing list of fire incidents in Delhi-NCR, a major blaze broke out in a 12th-floor flat of a high-rise residential society in Sector 75 on Friday morning (5 June). Although the family trapped inside the apartment was rescued safely, the Noida Fire Department faced sharp criticism from social media users over its handling of the emergency. Videos of the rescue operation that quickly went viral showed firefighters attempting to tackle the flames using water hoses. However, the water appeared unable to reach beyond the sixth or seventh floor, making little impact on the raging fire engulfing the apartment on the 12th floor.
Another video that surfaced hours later claimed that the society's maintenance staff and residents played a key role in containing the blaze. The social media user who shared the footage alleged that the Noida Fire Department arrived late and contributed little to the rescue and firefighting efforts.
“@myogiadityanath @myogioffice Noida Fire Dept—completely useless during the Ivy County fire. Arrived very late and contributed nothing to the rescue or firefighting efforts. The maintenance team and residents did the real work, while the department showed up only for photo opportunities. Shameful,” the user wrote.
Many netizens criticised the fire department for allegedly arriving without adequate
equipment despite hundreds of residents being at risk.
Fire Department Responds
Responding to the controversy, the Gautam Buddh Nagar Fire & Emergency Services issued a clarification, stating that a hydraulic platform was available at the site, but there was no need to deploy it as no one remained trapped inside the building.
“Within the jurisdiction of Police Station Sector-113, a fire broke out in Flat No. 1204 at Ivy County, Sector 75, due to a short circuit in an air-conditioning unit. Fire service personnel entered the flat and began efforts to extinguish the blaze. Using the fire-safety equipment installed in the society, the maintenance team connected a hose to the hydrant and climbed onto a fire tender to cool the lower balcony, preventing falling sparks from igniting balconies on the floors below,” the department stated.
Gaur Biz Park Fire
The fire department has also faced criticism in recent weeks over its response to other incidents. On 28 May, a major fire broke out in a flat at Gaur Business Park in Indirapuram. Residents alleged that although fire brigade personnel reached the site, they did not have a hydraulic platform capable of tackling the flames on the fourth floor.
According to eyewitnesses, the situation remained largely unchanged for nearly two hours as the fire continued to spread. The blaze was eventually brought under control, and no casualties were reported.
