Housing society fire destroys property worth lakhs

Mohali: A major fire broke out at a housing society in Peermuchalla on Tuesday, triggering panic among residents. The fire was preceded by a massive explosion on the sixth floor of one of the residential towers.

The blaze rapidly spread to adjoining flats, gutting property worth lakhs. Firemen took nearly three hours to douse the flames.

Residents described scenes of chaos and fear as flames engulfed multiple flats and thick smoke rose from the high-rise complex. Fire tenders rushed to the spot for an extensive firefighting operation.

Naveen, a resident of Tower-6, recounted the terrifying moments.

“We were sitting at home with our three-year-old child when a massive explosion occurred in the flat directly above ours. The blast was so powerful that the walls and floors of our flat began to shake violently. For a moment, it felt like a major earthquake had struck and the building was collapsing,” he said.

He added that panic spread when residents saw flames rising from the upper flats and nearby balconies.

“When we looked outside, we saw flames billowing out from the flats above us and adjacent units. Soon, the fire spread to flat no. 521 on our floor, right next to our apartment. We feared the flames could reach our flat at any moment,” he said.

Residents remained terrified for nearly three hours while firefighters battled the blaze.

“We finally felt relieved once the fire was extinguished, but at the same time deeply saddened that our neighbours’ homes had been completely destroyed,” Naveen added.

Following the fire, electricity supply to the affected floor was immediately disconnected as a safety measure. Due to continuous water spraying during firefighting operations, power supply could not be restored immediately even after the blaze was controlled.

Eyewitnesses said the fire initially broke out on the sixth floor, but due to strong winds and the intensity of the flames, it quickly spread to flats on the fifth floor as well. The fire engulfed at least five flats, destroying valuables worth lakhs, including household goods, electronic appliances, important documents and personal belongings accumulated over years.

Hundreds of residents of the society gathered outside the towers during the operation, anxiously waiting as firefighters struggled to contain the inferno. Authorities are yet to ascertain the exact cause of the explosion and subsequent fire.