Hyderabad: Hyderabad police have collected 200 samples from the debris of the fire that gutted 130 shops at Nampally exhibition grounds and sent them to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis to know the source of the fire.
Though no loss to human life was reported, at least seven persons suffered suffocation from the smoke. A short-circuit at a bank stall is rumoured to have triggered the fire, but there were also reports that a matchstick might have caused it.
The clues team of Hyderabad City police stepped into action just a day after the mishap to collect possible clues, exact spot fire began and its cause.
The team used a 3D imaging tool to draw a blueprint of shops where it is suspected the fire started and also of the shops that were gutted, to analyse how the fire spread to engulf 130 shops in just about half an hour.
“The 3D imaging tool helps draw a possibility of how the fire might have spread. It is for reconstruction of the scene to pinpoint origin of fire by studying its behaviour, depending on material present in the shops,” said Dr N. Venkanna, in-charge of the police’s clues team.
He said around 200 samples were collected from the debris, which included metals, plastic, textiles and other materials. The samples have been sent to the forensic science laboratory for analysis.
“Gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy techniques are used at FSL to identify reactions during the fire,” said the official. “Gas chromatography is used to analyse and identify original components from the collected debris at the scene and to know what could have strengthened the fires, as various materials were present. Spectroscopy helps identify the burn pattern by analysing chemical residues left at the scene.”
In reply to a query, the officer said: “A few domestic cylinders present at the shops were also burnt, but none of them exploded. Some lights went off because of the gas inside those. Their residues were also collected and sent for analysis.”
Only the forensic report can help conclude if a short circuit or something else triggered the fire. “The report might take 10- 15 days to arrive,” the officer said.
