Major fire breaks out at women’s hostel

The facility had no fire-fighting equipment; police checking if the owner had a licence

January 15, 2019 12:57 am | Updated 08:11 am IST - CHENNAI

Five women, one of whom was pregnant, were rescued from the bathroom of a women’s hostel in Choolaimedu after a fire broke out in the two-storeyed building on Monday morning.

According to the police, the fire broke out on the first floor of Sri Dhanshika Lady’s Hostel, located on Third Street, Choolaimedu.

About 30 working women stay in the hostel. On Monday, only 10 were on the premises as the others had left for their home towns for Pongal.

Short-circuit to blame

Police suspect that the fire was the result of a short-circuit in a hall on the first floor. The blaze spread fast and the five women could not get out of the hall due to the flames and thick smoke.

Panic-stricken, the women locked themselves inside a bathroom. One of them called the hostel owner on her mobile, while another called a friend. The hostel owner, Mahesh, came with a fire-extingusher and tried to put out the fire. The neighbours called up the fire control room for assistance.

Fire and Rescue Service personnel led by Fire Officer M. Arifa reached the spot immediately. As the street is narrow, the water tenders could not enter the street. After much difficulty, the fire service personnel managed to spray water on the building to douse the flames.

The Fire Officer told The Hindu , “After putting out the fire, we managed to enter the premises surrounded by thick smoke. On reaching the first floor, we searched every room. We found five women in a bathroom. One of them was pregnant and unconscious. I physically lifted her and brought her down.”

The rescued inmates, Vidya, Kavitha, Pavithra, Ranjitha and Ayana, sustained minor burns. The owner of the hostel has been admitted to Kilpauk Government College Hospital with 41% burns.

Rules flouted

Senior police officers inspected the spot. “The building has no fire-fighting equipment, which is mandatory. We have registered a case of accidental fire. We are investigating whether the premises had the necessary licence and followed procedures. If there is any violation, we will take action against the owner,” a senior police officer said.

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