Ghaziabad Service Centre Fire: 70-Year-Old Worker Dies, Multiple Cylinder Blasts Destroy Vehicles in Patel Nagar Blaze

A devastating fire ripped through an air-conditioner service centre in Ghaziabad’s densely populated Patel Nagar area early Saturday morning, killing a 70-year-old employee and reducing several vehicles to charred remains.

Officials said the blaze, which triggered multiple explosions due to gas cylinders stored inside the building, caused panic across the neighbourhood before firefighters managed to bring it under control after an intense operation lasting nearly two hours.

The incident occurred around 3 am inside a commercial building used as an AC gas-filling and servicing centre.

According to fire department officials, the structure consisted of a ground floor and two upper floors and also housed office space connected to the business.

Authorities said the fire department received an emergency call at approximately 3.05 am, following which eight fire tenders were immediately dispatched to the scene.

“When our teams arrived, the flames had already spread rapidly across the ground floor. During the search and rescue operation, a 70-year-old man was found dead inside the premises,” Chief Fire Officer Rahul Pal said.

The deceased was later identified as Triloki Nath, an elderly employee who had reportedly worked with the firm for several years.

Police officials said Nath had been sleeping inside the building at the time the fire broke out and was unable to escape.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ziauddin Ahmad said preliminary findings suggest that around seven other workers were also sleeping on the ground floor when the blaze started.

They reportedly woke up in time and rushed outside as smoke and flames engulfed the building.

“Unfortunately, the deceased could not make it out. His body was recovered in a severely burnt condition,” ACP Ahmad said.

Officials suspect that the fire may have started due to a short circuit on the ground floor before spreading rapidly through the premises.

The presence of gas cylinders used for air-conditioner servicing worsened the situation significantly.

As the flames intensified, several cylinders exploded one after another, sending loud blasts through the area and creating panic among nearby residents.

“The fire spread quickly because combustible materials and gas cylinders were stored inside the building. Multiple explosions occurred during the incident,” CFO Rahul Pal said.

The explosions and heat also caused extensive damage to vehicles parked within and around the service centre.

According to officials, at least two cars and around ten motorcycles and scooters were completely gutted in the blaze.

Residents living nearby said they woke up to loud explosions and thick smoke billowing from the building.

Since Patel Nagar is a crowded residential and commercial locality, there were fears that the fire could spread to neighbouring establishments and homes.

Firefighters worked continuously for nearly two hours to contain the flames and prevent the blaze from spreading further through the congested lane.

Police have sent the body for post-mortem examination, while forensic and technical teams are expected to inspect the site to determine the exact cause of the fire and assess whether safety norms were violated.

Authorities are also examining whether proper storage protocols for gas cylinders and inflammable materials were being followed at the service centre.

Officials said the entire building belonged to the service centre firm, with business operations functioning across multiple floors, including office space on the first floor.

The incident has once again raised concerns over fire safety compliance in mixed residential-commercial areas across cities like Ghaziabad, where workshops, storage units and service centres often operate from congested neighbourhoods with limited emergency access.

Further investigation into the incident is currently underway.