15 Trapped As Massive Fire Engulfs Ujjain Building

At least 10 to 15 people, including women, were trapped after a massive fire broke out inside a building in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain on Wednesday.

Six fire tenders have already been deployed and some people have been rescued, while efforts are on to bring the trapped persons out of the residential-cum-commercial building. Municipal fire department teams are currently operating to rescue them.

The incident happened at the Bagadiya Tower, located in the Old Kotwali police station area of the city, according to initial information.

According to an eyewitness, a group of people had gathered at the third floor of the five-storey tower to attend a 'Garuda Purana' event. Following the fire, some of them managed to get out of the building using a ladder provided by the fire brigade.

However, some women remained trapped and have not been able to get down, the eyewitness said.

The municipal corporation and police are conducting a joint rescue operation. The cause of the fire is not known yet.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Pradeep Sharma said that some people were still trapped on the top floor but police personnel were with them, as per a report by news agency PTI.

Ujjain District Magistrate Roshan Kumar Singh told reporters at the scene that upon receiving information about the fire, police, local, administration, and SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) teams rushed to the spot to control the blaze and evacuate residents of the building.

He said the building's location in a narrow alley was hampering the rescue operation, according to the report by PTI.

Sharma said the building houses a pharmacy, and the fire may have started there and spread gradually.

Apart from Singh, the Superintendent of Police (SP), and several other senior officials have reached the site.

Security arrangements have been stepped up in the area. Drones are also being utilised to monitor the situation.

(With inputs from Shivendra Parmar)