Ahmedabad, Apr 11 (PTI) At least 18 persons were rescued after a fire broke out in a multi-storey residential building in Khokhra area of the city on Friday afternoon, officials said.

The fire began around 3:30 pm and was brought under control by 6 pm, said an official at the Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services (AFES) control room. No one was injured, he added.

A video which went viral on social media showed two children being passed down from the open window of a staircase passage as black smoke billowed from the floor. They were followed by a woman who tried to climb down through the same opening and almost fell but for the two men on the lower floor passage who held on to her legs and pulled her in.

Deputy Fire Officer Rameshpuri Goswami said 18 persons were rescued.

The fire started in the wire duct which runs from the ground floor to the top, he said.

About the viral video, Goswami said some people panicked as heat and smoke made it difficult for them to use the stairs to get down.

“Smoke filled the passages, making it difficult for residents to come out of their flats. After reaching the spot, we rescued 18 residents and brought the fire under control. No one was injured in the incident,” said the fire officer. PTI PJT PD KRK