Boat fire at Hussainsagar: Organisers did not take permission for fireworks
Hyderabad: Investigations into what caused the fire in a boat during fireworks as part of the ‘Bharat Mata Maha Harati’ programme at People’s Plaza, Hussainsagar, on Sunday revealed that the organisers had not taken the mandated permission from either the fire department and or the local police.
As a normal practice, fire safety teams and equipment needed to take up rescue operations during exigencies will be on standby for such events. However, in this incident, no fire safety arrangements were made as the authorities did not have any prior information about the use of fireworks during the event.
“Once the investigations are completed, they would initiate action against the organisers for failing to take permission for the fireworks display,” said DFO T. Venkanna here on Monday.
According to police, the fire started when one of the rockets hit the crackers kept in the boat, which led to a massive explosion.
According to police, the fire started around 8.30 pm, when a rocket hit the crackers inside the boat. The fire department received a complaint from G. Prabhudas, 43, from the Lumbini Park unit, who stated that it happened during the conclusion of the event, which was also graced by Union minister G. Kishan Reddy, from among several VVIPs.
Incidentally, display of fireworks has been an integral part of the celebrations for the last eight years. Sukumar Reddy was the main organiser.
The ill-fated boat 1 of the tourism department carrying crackers was at the jetty around 200 metres from the stage. A remote control that was used to activate the fireworks missed the actual direction as a result of which the rocket fell on the crackers in the boat at the platform. It triggered an explosion that gutted the boat and the platform completely, Secretariat police said.
The impact was such that a boat that was passing by was also burnt when firecrackers fell into it. Fire fighters used a water pipe and extinguished the fire on both boats by 11.30 pm.
Six persons, of whom two were unidentified, suffered burn injuries and were treated as outpatients in Gandhi hospital. However, the fireworks operator Ganapathi sustained severe burns and is in critical condition whereas boat driver Dubasi Sunil suffered 15 per cent burns and driver of the other boat Palle Pranith is undergoing treatment in Gandhi hospital.
“We are recording statements of an eyewitness. The case is still under investigation”, said M. Hanumath Rao, SI Secretariat police station.
