Five Dead In Fatal Fire Mishap At Nampally
Two children, two workers and an elderly woman were killed after a blaze broke out in a furniture store cellar on Nampally Station Road, Hyderabad, triggering prolonged rescue operations.
Hyderabad: Five persons, including two children and an elderly woman, died of asphyxiation in Saturday’s massive blaze at a four-storey building housing a furniture shop in Nampally, police said on Sunday. Their bodies were recovered from the cellar of the building that was stuffed with furniture material.
Eight firefighters suffered injuries during the rescue operation at the fire-hit Sai Vishwas Chambers that lasted for 24 hours, involving nine departments, including HYDRAA. Some of them inhaled carbon monoxide despite wearing safety gear, with the temperatures reaching 500º Celsius.
On Sunday evening, the Abids police arrested Satish Bacha, one of the owners of the fire-hit building, and registered a case of culpable homicide. He was produced before the magistrate for judicial remand. The case is being investigated by Abids ACP Praveen Kumar.
Five fire tenders with 60 firefighters have been stationed at the fire-hit building as a standby until they get clearance from the officers and rescue teams. The fire-hit building continued to be restricted from public access as a preventive measure.
The police are investigating whether the building had valid fire safety clearances or if the cellar was being used illegally for residential and storage purposes.
Investigation reports will be submitted to the fire department and GHMC for further action. Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and announced an ex gratia of ₹5 lakh each to the families of the deceased. Goshamahal MLA Raja Singh and Khairatabad Zone DCP K. Shilpavalli, along with other senior police officials, visited the spot to oversee the operation.
CLUES teams collected 13 samples from the fire-hit building for examination. They sent DNA samples to FSL for the identification of the charred bodies. The bodies have been shifted to Osmania General Hospital for autopsy.
“Firefighters encountered extremely dense and heavy smoke conditions inside the premises, which caused severe visibility issues and breathing difficulties,” said Thagaram Venkanna, Hyderabad district fire officer.
While 220 firefighters participated in the operation, Venkanna said eight sustained minor burns. The first hole was drilled at the backside corner (opposite the ramp), another on the right-side corner of the building, while the third hole was drilled at the main entrance.
By the early hours of Sunday, the firefighters brought out charred bodies in blankets and stretchers from the debris. Though the fire was extinguished, the thick dark carbon monoxide emanated from burnt furniture, with temperatures staying around 300° to 500° Celsius. “When I inspected the scene, the temperature was over 500°C,” the officer said.
