Hyderabad: An export firm’s office in the Masab Tank area was completely destroyed in a fire on Monday. Police said that the office of Engineering Exports in Osman Plaza near Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital caught fire due to a short circuit in the cables above the false ceiling at around 11.15 am.
There are around 30 residential-cum-commercial flats in the plaza and nearly 60 persons were inside when the fire broke out. The office accountant, Mr Mohammad Aizaz, and the watchman of the complex, G. Mallesh, alerted the fire control room at around 11.25 am, and a fire tender was sent from the Langer Houz fire station.
But due to the heavy traffic jam in the area due to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao’s convoy, the fire tender could reach the spot only at 12 noon, and by that time, the fire had spread over the entire office, and thick smoke spread to other flats in the complex.
Fire fighters under station fire officer M. Baswa Raj managed to prevent the fire from spreading.
Later, traffic DCP A.V. Ranganath said the police was not informed about the fire tender which got stuck in traffic. “If we had information we would have given priority to the fire tender than the CM’s convoy,” he said.
Langer Houz Station fire officer M. Baswa Raj said the fire fighters thought that it was the usual peak hour traffic.
Meanwhile, Humayun Nagar police who was on duty at the spot in connection with the CM's convoy, rushed to the spot and began rescue efforts.
Engineering Exports proprietor Mohammad Nayeemuddin said they tried to reach the fire control room on phone but there was no response. “He said the fire began from the cables above the false ceiling.”
No casualties, all people in complex rescued
Nearly, 60 persons were inside the plaza at the time of the fire, and there were around 30 women teachers undergoing training at an institute located opposite the export company’s office.
Locals like Mohammad Jalaluddin Akber and Abdul from the Al-Burooj travel agency, which is near the office of Engineering Exports, and Humayun Nagar constable Bheem Rao took the initiative to rescue people.
Mr Akber said that around 30 lady trainee teachers were inside the Bharatiya Vidyalaya Institute opposite Engineering Exports.
“When we entered the Institute we found the women had panicked at seeing the thick smoke. We and the constable sent them down safely. When we found a gas cylinder inside the export firm’s office we removed it,” he said.
Mr Bheem Rao said that he was on duty nearby and rushed to the plaza. “A person was staying in the flat above Engineering Exports and he had slept in the early hours after completing the night shift. We rescued him safely. His flat was full of smoke,” he said. Mr Abdul said that local youths alerted everyone inside the complex. “Out of the 30 flats in Osman Plaza, nine are residential. We knocked at all the flats and alerted residents and office staff,” he said.
The fire took place near Sarojini Hospital and there are three fire stations nearby. Considering traffic, fire officials sent the Langer Houz tender to the spot.
KTR’s kudos for cop
Information technology and municipal affairs minister K.T. Rama Rao has appreciated Humayun Nagar constable Bheem Rao who took the initiative to rescue people from Osman Plaza. In his tweet the minister told the DGP that Mr Bheem Rao’s bravery must be recognised.
