Major Fire Breaks Out In Raheja Atlantis; Fire Fighting Systems Fail in Multi-Storey Apartment Complex

Major Fire Breaks Out in Raheja Atlantis

Security guards block entry into Raheja Atlantis for press and guests.

Click on video above to see the Raheja Atlantis’ E Tower after the fire.

Fire in an apartment in E block of Raheja Atlantis (built & maintained by Raheja Developers – a builder based out Saket, Delhi) grew into a major conflagration that reached out from the fourth floor all the way till the 8th floor apartment, due to apparent failure of fire fighting system, security protocols, and empty fire hoses in the multi-storey complex just off NH8.

It took almost 1.5 hours to put out the fire, and all the time the residents faced harrowing moments. There was no fire alarm system functioning. Sprinklers installed in the apartment might have also not been working. Further in the hose pipes there was no water to put out the fire. A resident on one of the floors below the apartment which caught fire, injured his hand while breaking the glass of the “fire alarm box”, but no fire alarms rang to warm the residents of this major fire. Also, there was no PA (Public Announcement) system on the Raheja premises to warm the residents to evacuate ….

Residents reported getting engulfed in the lift balcony where the fire fighting hose is, stumbling on the way in the smoke and darkness as there was no natural light, and then finally ending up with empty hoses – there was no water to put out the fire. The delay in putting out the fire resulted in a major conflagration that can be seen in the images and video.

Visibly agitated residents were gathered in large numbers at the Atlantis Gate confronting a phalanx of Security Guards. The security guards had imposed a clampdown and prevented entry of the guests and press to the Raheja premises which was being protested by the residents. Your’s truly had to climb on top of a neighbor’s house to be able to get footage of the damaged building.

A calamity was narrowly averted, but the residents are fearful and angry. In the coming days they hope to get a full accounting of the same from the builder, and devise steps that prevent further occurences of such systemic breakdown in a multi-storey residential complex.

This is a developing story and we would like the citizens who know about this to help develop and correct the facts in the story.