Ghaziabad: The city’s chief fire officer (CFO) and nine other firemen will be awarded gallantry medals on the occasion of Independence Day for saving more than 160 people from a fire that broke out in a five-storey building in Khoda Colony on March 3. Three people died in that fire.The medals will be awarded to CFO Rahul Pal, fire officer Moolchand Singh, six firefighters — Netrapal, Umakant Shukla, Deepak Kumar, Jogendra Singh, Vinay Yadav and Ayushman Kumar Sharma — and two fire service drivers — Rampal Singh and Satendra Kumar.The fire started in an electrical panel on the ground floor of Sunahri Residency, located in New Ajanta Park Colony. It charred more than 50 two-wheelers parked there before reaching the staircase and lift shaft, filling the building with thick smoke. Twenty-five people were injured and admitted to hospital, while Rajendra Kumar (54), his wife Meena (52) and their daughter Neetu (24) died.Officials said the building, constructed in 2019 by a Noida-based private builder, Vivek Rathi, housed 43 families in two- and three-room flats.Recalling the incident, CFO told TOI the building had two access roads and the gates on both sides were closed and locked. Dense smoke had risen rapidly to the upper floors through the staircase and balconies. The building had only one staircase, which was filled with smoke and could not be approached due to the heat.“The cries of women and children stranded on the balconies, shouting for help, still echo in my ears,” he said. “They were standing there helpless until we started pouring water on the parking lot. Once the fire was under control,” he said, “ We broke the locks of the entrances with hammers and cutters, placed an extension ladder on the front of the building and started bringing down people one by one.”
