Ghaziabad: The electricity department has ruled out a short circuit as the cause of the massive blaze at Gaur Green Avenue in Indirapuram on Wednesday, which gutted eight flats across five floors. Officials said that when a short circuit occurs, the miniature circuit breaker (MCB) trips down immediately, something that did not happen in this case, prompting them to explore other angles.Additionally, a multi-department team formed by the district magistrate visited the site on Saturday to probe the firefighting hurdles during the incident and recorded statements from over 15 people.Officials said the blaze began around 8.15 am, but the first call to the fire department — made by a commuter named Anil, not a resident — came at 8.48 am. The team is now investigating why the residents or the AOA delayed alerting authorities, which could have helped contain the fire earlier.The probe committee — comprising the GDA secretary, ADM (finance and revenue), chief fire officer and assistant director of electrical safety — will submit its report to the DM within three days.The fire started in a four-BHK flat on the ninth floor of Tower D at Gaur Green Avenue and spread across five floors before being brought under control. The flat, owned by Kamal Paliwal, who lives in another unit in the same building, was under renovation for five years.Residents said Paliwal would light a diya in the flat daily, which may have been the source of the fire, though officials said the cause was still under investigation.The fire department said PVC sheets awnings on balconies could have caused the fire to spread rapidly from the ninth to the 13th floor. PVC Sheets can act as fuel in a fire and can melt, drip and release toxic fumes too. An official added that investigators will check if residents had AOA permission for the covers. A swimming pool also blocked fire tenders from reaching the affected tower.An officer added that, surprisingly, the residents of the society were busy recording the fire and posting the visuals on social media platforms instead of informing the fire department. It was Anil, who was traveling on the DME, who made a call to the authorities, and five tenders were rushed to the spot. However, the AOA claimed residents made a call to 112 around 8.40 am.Saurabh Bhatt, ADM (F&R), said the team will soon complete the investigation and submit it to the DM.Meanwhile, Kunjesh Singh Parihar, AOA president, said a general body meeting was held with residents, where several decisions were taken. The fire caused losses of more than Rs 40 crore, and the society is still recovering. Soon, the AOA will conduct a structural audit of Block-D, where eight flats were gutted.“We will spend money to strengthen the structural, common area and other exterior parts of the block. The renovation of the flat will be done by donation, and residents of the society have already shown interest in this,” he said, adding that an action against Paliwal is also being considered.Vikash Kumar, the society’s maintenance head, said they had complained to GDA officials about encroachment on the balcony of Paliwal’s flat. In 2023, GDA officials inspected the flat, but no action was taken.
