Lucknow: A swift, coordinated response by firefighting and disaster teams prevented what officials described as a potential neighbourhood-wide catastrophe in the densely packed locality.A total of 125 fire personnel, supported by 30 SDRF and 20 NDRF members, battled the inferno for over five hours. The blaze broke out in a commercial-cum-residential building flanked by two residential structures, raising fears of flames spreading rapidly to adjoining houses.“The biggest challenge was preventing the fire from spreading to the neighbouring houses. Had the flames engulfed those structures, the situation could have turned more catastrophic,” a senior fire officer said.Firefighters deployed multiple water jets while specialised teams entered the smoke-choked building using Breathing Apparatus Sets (BA Sets). Proximity suits enabled them to operate in extreme heat and near-zero visibility.“The heat radiation was intense. The proximity suits and breathing apparatus allowed our teams to continue rescue and firefighting operations in extremely hazardous conditions,” a firefighter said.As the blaze intensified, SDRF and NDRF teams joined evacuation and search efforts. SDRF commandant Shyam Narayan Singh supervised the operation on the ground and entered the structure with breathing apparatus, directing teams to breach walls to access trapped pockets.Chief fire officer Ankush Mittal said the operation continued well after the flames were doused. “All 125 fire personnel along with 19 fire tenders remained on their toes for more than five hours. We did not wind up operations until every room, staircase, office, washroom and corner of the building had been physically checked to ensure no victim remained trapped inside,” he told TOI.“Even after the fire was brought under control, our teams continued combing the building. We checked every nook and corner because our foremost priority was to ensure that no person remained trapped or unaccounted for,” he said.Officials said dense toxic smoke was the biggest challenge. Teams used smoke extractors to improve visibility. “Smoke was the biggest killer inside the building. We used smoke extraction equipment to clear sections of the structure and facilitate rescue operations,” an official said.Mittal added that timely deployment and specialised equipment helped contain the blaze and save animals as well. “The early arrival of firefighting units and the use of specialised equipment helped us save a number of animals and prevent the fire from spreading to adjoining houses,” he said.
