Lack of Fire Tenders Close to ORR Raises Concern

Hyderabad: The death of a 26-year-old man who was burnt alive in his car on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) near Shamirpet, after he reportedly slept with the heater switched on, has again raised questions about fire preparedness on the 158-km expressway and the limits of safety equipment currently available along the expressway.

According to Shamirpet sub-inspector Sheshavardhan Reddy, the fire is suspected to have started around 5.40 am. “A commuter informed the ORR patrol unit at around 5.55 am and us at 6 am. Both teams reached quickly, but neither of us had any fire-fighting equipment. We had to call the fire department,” he said.

Fire engines from the Cherlapally (16 km away) and Shamirpet (20 km away) stations were sent to the spot. “We received the message from the control room and left immediately, but the distance was around 20 km. There is no fire station on the ORR itself,” said Shamirpet station fire officer (SFO) N. Venkata Ramana Reddy.

He added that the Cherlapally tender reached the spot first and doused the flames within 10 minutes, “but by then the vehicle was already gutted and the driver’s body was charred.”

The incident had led to a huge traffic jam, which made it worse. “We struggled to navigate through the traffic. Even the local and patrol police teams fell short in clearing the vehicles, so some of us had to get down and assist them,” the SFO added.

Additional DG (fire services) G.V. Narayana Rao said fire tenders are mobilised from the nearest city stations for incidents on the ORR. “The ORR is a long stretch and no fire station can be positioned on the expressway itself. We send the nearest tender, but the response depends on distance and traffic. We try to reach as quickly as possible,” he said.

A senior Rachakonda traffic official said the ORR’s 16 trauma-care centres and patrol units have only a few extinguishers. “They can handle very small fires, not a full vehicle blaze. For that, we still depend on city fire stations,” he said.

In 2022, the Hyderabad Growth Corridor Limited (HGCL), a wing of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) had set up 16 trauma care centres and 10 advanced life support ambulances on the ORR, to extend advanced medical emergency care. These trauma-care centres, which reportedly treat lakhs of accident victims on a regular basis, generally manage to reach on time in the event of a fire accident, but are not equipped enough to handle a large-scale blaze.

“We had two 3-kg cylinders, and there are three of the same weight kept at these trauma-care centres. They reached within three-five minutes after receiving information, but those cylinders are only capable of supporting small fires, not major ones. And the person was also burnt till his shoulder. So we tried but could not do much,” an ORR patrolling staff revealed.

Road safety expert Naresh Raghavan, however, said heater-related fires are extremely rare.

“A factory-installed heater on its own is very unlikely to ignite a vehicle, especially in an open area like the ORR where air circulation is high. Fires are usually caused due to oil leaks, fuel leaks, faulty wiring or non-standard electrical accessories,” he said.

He added that poor maintenance often increases the risk. “Many people limit servicing to basic oil changes. Skipping proper maintenance can lead to engine overheating and fires,” he said.

Raghavan also warned against sitting inside a parked vehicle with the engine running.

“If you use the AC or heater for long while parked, switch the blower to fresh air or oxygen levels drop. And never idle your engine in a closed space, as carbon monoxide can be fatal,” he said.

Police have issued notices to the car company and asked the transport department for an inquiry. The remains of the deceased have been sent to the FSL. Efforts to contact HGCL officials went in vain.

Past ORR fire incidents:

May 11, 2025: Three businessmen killed after their car caught fire following a collision in Abdullapurmet.

April 26, 2025: Water tanker catches fire in Hayathnagar, two escape unhurt.

May 10, 2025: One person burnt alive after two cars collided near Pedda Amberpet.

January 6, 2025: Two charred to death after their SUV caught fire on the Ghatkesar ORR.

September 9, 2023: Car catches fire on Shamshabad ORR; driver escapes unhurt.