One Dead, Nine Hurt in Shalibanda Electronics Shop Blast

Hyderabad: The victim of the massive fire that broke out at Gomathi Electronics, Shalibanda, adjacent to the historic clock tower followed by multiple cylinder and compress explosions late on Monday night, remains unidentified. Nine others including a woman suffered burns in the incident.

The man, aged between 50 and 55 years, was passing by the shop when the fire broke out. His body has been preserved at the Osmania General Hospital morgue for identification.

Three of those who suffered over 25 per cent burns were identified as shop owner Shiva Kumar Bansal and his employees Ganesh Vijay Kumar and Karthik Mahadev. They are undergoing treatment at a hospital.

The other injured persons were identified as Shaik Ahmed, a passerby, and driver Manikanta who was sitting in a car parked near the scene. Syed Saber, autorickshaw passenger Mohammed Ghouse, driver Mohammed Jawar Ahmed and his wife Najma Begum were also injured.

Bansal informed Moghalpura police detective inspector Ashok Naik the shop had been issued a demolition notice from the Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited to make way for the Old City Metro, and he was shifting goods when he heard the explosion. As he got up from the counter, he heard the second explosion and the fire broke out.

Bansal said he rushed out to the road and heard a third explosion from a CNG car parked adjacent his shop, Bansal sustained critical burns, DI Ashok Naik said.

Police said the body of the victim was found lying on front of the Gomathi Electronics store. “We rushed him in an ambulance to Osmania General Hospital where the duty doctor, after examining him, declared him dead. The deceased is clad in black shirt and blue jacket and his trousers were burnt in the fire,” DI said.