Race against time for first responders

New Delhi: For firefighters, police personnel and other first responders, it was a race against time as they battled a massive blaze while simultaneously searching for people trapped inside the building. Each passing minute meant more lives were at stake, and increased chances of the fire spreading to adjacent buildings.

On one of the upper floors of the burning B&B facility, a couple was frantically waving their hands and crying for help. The heat and smoke levels were particularly severe in that section of the building. The rescuers rushed towards them, gave them breathing apparatus and pulled them out to safety. The exercise continued till every occupant of the hotel who could be saved was rescued. In all, about 80 firefighters were pressed into service.

Rescuers told TOI that when they arrived at the scene, intense flames -- in the form of fireballs -- were erupting from the structure. Their priority was to create an outlet for the enormous amount of heat and smoke trapped inside the building. To streamline operations, personnel were divided into three teams -- one for firefighting, another tasked with searching the basement for trapped occupants, and the third assigned to move floor by floor through the upper levels for rescue.

Firefighters quickly positioned a ladder near the affected portion of the structure and began breaking the glass windows. This allowed the flames, smoke and heat to escape. “The basement lock was cut using hydraulic cutters. Once our teams gained access, they rescued six people trapped in the basement and gave them CPR,” a firefighter said.

Water was sprayed from several sides to prevent the flames from spreading and reduce the fire’s intensity. Firefighters first brought the blaze near the main entrance under control to secure access for rescue operations.

The building consisted of toughened glass panels that were difficult to break, trapping heat inside the structure. Firefighters said the interior design and enclosed layout complicated efforts to ventilate the premises and gain access to affected areas. Rescuers wore breathing apparatus because of the intense heat and dense smoke, which severely hampered visibility and made operations challenging. Firefighting hoses fitted with spray jets were deployed to reduce the intensity of the flames, cool affected sections and create safer conditions for the teams.

Officials said occupants on nearly every floor required assistance. “In several cases, we had to break open doors and gates to reach them. Some were waiting for help while others had become unconscious due to smoke inhalation. Our teams had to carry several of them out to safety,” an officer said.

Rescuers said while several charred bodies were recovered from the ground and first floors, most of the victims found on the upper levels appeared to have succumbed to smoke inhalation rather than burn injuries.