Two people died and over 100 residents were evacuated after a fire ripped through a five-storey building in Mamura village, under the Phase 3 police station area of Noida, on 15 July. A man and a woman, both in critical condition, were rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared them dead. The building owner and the leaseholder have since been taken into police custody.

How the Fire Started

Preliminary investigation points to an electric scooter being charged in the basement parking area as the origin of the blaze. According to officials, a spark from the scooter ignited nearby petrol-powered vehicles, causing the fire to spread rapidly across the building. Resident Arnab, an eyewitness, said: 'At around 11 o'clock, an electric scooter was being charged in the basement parking area. Suddenly, there appears to have been a short circuit, and the scooter caught fire first. The flames then gradually spread to everything nearby. People felt suffocated due to the smoke.'

Rescue Operations

Police and fire department teams reached the site shortly after receiving alerts and immediately launched evacuation efforts. Dense smoke that filled the upper floors complicated the rescue, but emergency personnel managed to bring all trapped residents to safety. Arnab added that local labourers working in the vicinity also assisted, helping residents on higher floors descend via makeshift access routes. 'Over 150 people were safely evacuated, and the fire tenders are working to douse the blaze,' he said.

What the Police Said

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Shailendra Kumar Singh confirmed the sequence of events. 'Today, under the Phase 3 police station area, in a residential building in Mamura sector, an electric scooter that was plugged in for charging in the parking lot caught fire. The fire spread to the nearby area, creating massive smoke that reached the upper floors and rooms of the building,' he said. Singh noted that more than 100 people were successfully rescued, adding: 'Two people fell ill and were transported to the hospital by ambulance for treatment.'

Legal Action and Custody

A case has been registered against the leaseholder and the building operator under relevant legal provisions for alleged negligence. Both have been taken into custody, according to officials. The building owner has also been detained as part of the investigation. Further details on the case are awaited.

A Pattern of EV Charging Fires

This incident is part of a growing national concern over fires triggered by electric vehicle charging in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces. Notably, several similar incidents have been reported across Indian cities in recent years, prompting calls for stricter safety norms around EV charging infrastructure in residential buildings. The Noida fire underscores the urgency of enforcing those standards.