Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A fire broke out at the Vishalakshi Girls' Hostel building near Bhanwarkuan Square on Saturday evening, triggering panic among students. Around 96 students were present in the building at the time of the incident.
However, all of them were safely evacuated through the rear exit, averting a major tragedy. Fire brigade and police teams rushed to the scene after receiving information.
According to preliminary information, the fire originated in an advertising signboard installed in the open gallery area near the fourth-floor balcony. Flames rose from the signboard, causing panic among the building's occupants.
The building houses coaching classes on two floors, while the remaining two floors accommodate female hostel students.
A washing machine installed near the spot, along with clothes kept there for drying, also caught fire and was completely gutted. As the flames spread in the gallery area, students acted promptly and evacuated the building through the rear passage.
According to Fire Brigade Sub-Inspector Santosh Kumar Dubey, the fire brigade received information at 7.01 pm, following which a team rushed to the spot and launched firefighting operations.
Initially, firefighters sprayed water from outside the building to bring the flames under control. Once the intensity of the fire subsided, they entered the building and reached the fourth floor to extinguish the flames completely.
The fire brigade used approximately 4,000 litres of water to douse the fire, preventing the flames from spreading further inside the building.
No casualties or injuries were reported. The incident, however, caused considerable panic among students and people in the surrounding area.
