An investigation by the fire department into Tuesday’s blaze at Krishna Apra Plaza in Noida Sector 18, which injured 14 people—including three men and a woman forced to leap from high floors— has uncovered a grave regulatory breach: the building was operating without the mandatory fire no objection certificate for the past five years despite multiple warnings, fire officials said on Wednesday.
Gautam Budh Nagar chief fire officer Pradeep Chaubey said, “During the investigation, it was revealed that the Krishna Apra Plaza has no NOC, nor did they apply for one. It was also found that we had sent them a notice regarding the NOC requirement last year, but they did not comply with the norms despite several reminders.” He added that while maintenance staff are employed at the commercial complex, “they fled from the building and did not use the fire safety system.”
The blaze erupted at the eight-storey building, a hub of business houses and food outlets, at 11.27am when an AC unit in a first-floor real estate office suddenly exploded. While more than 70 people rushed to the terrace to escape, and many more escaped from the building’s designated exits, sheer desperation drove four people —three men and a woman — to leap from the third and fourth floors in a bid to save their lives.
The complex also lacked compliance with the Uttar Pradesh Fire and Emergency Services Rules 2024, which require residential, non-residential, commercial, and other high-rise buildings to deploy fire safety officers and other staff to monitor fire safety norms round-the-clock. “The complex did not follow fire safety norms and did not employ a designated fire safety officer,” said Chaubey, adding that after a thorough investigation a case may be registered, and the building might be sealed.
The fire department also found that 80% of the fire safety equipment was in working condition. “We also conducted an extensive check of the building and found that all fire safety equipment and systems were installed. Five motors were installed for the firefighting system, and 80% of the equipment was in working condition,” he said.
The Sector 18 market is a hub of business houses, shops, and food outlets. The fire department said they are checking how many establishments have a fire NOC and which are violating fire norms. “We will conduct a drive in the Sector 18 market to check the firefighting systems and NOCs taken by commercial complexes,” said Chaubey.
According to fire department data, 310 fire incidents were reported in Gautam Budh Nagar between January 1 and March 31 this year, and there are more than 1,000 high-rises, including 370 residential societies in the district.
The CFO said more than 280 cases of AC explosions were reported in 2024. Referring to a similar AC blast incident that took place at a girls’ PG on March 27, he said, “It was observed that AC blast incidents increase during summer. We urged all the residents to get the AC serviced before using it in the summer. If any such untoward incident occurs and thick smoke fills inside the building, people can cover their faces and hands with a wet towel and crawl out of the building if the exit seems clear.”
Sector 18 is not the only market where fire could be disastrous. On the other side of the main carriageway, the Sector 27 market, popularly known as “Atta market,” is also a hub of nearly 750 shops in a densely populated street.
Last year, the fire department conducted an awareness drive with the shop owners and the market president, but after a year, “nothing seems to have changed,” as fire hydrants to fight fires in the narrow street are yet to be installed.
“We are short of water and other equipment to fight fires. I hope that the concerned department will take cognizance after Sector 18 fire and install fire hydrants for emergency use,” said Atta Market president CB Jha.
