NEW DELHI, Nov 13: Nine persons were killed and at least three others sustained severe burn injuries in a massive blaze that swept through a residential building in Bazaar Guard (more commonly known as Bazarghat) of Nampally area in central Hyderabad, a densely populated residential area with workshops and small scale industries close to the Hyderabad Railway Station on Monday morning.
Officials said the fire broke out on the second floor of a five-storied residential building in Bazaar Guard on Monday morning. “Following a distress call at 9.35 a.m., seven fire tenders were rushed to the spot for firefighting. As per preliminary information, some chemical drums were reportedly being stored on the second floor flats, which caught fire and spread it,” said the officials.
“The repair work of a car was going on in the godown on the ground floor. The sparks spread to the chemical barrel kept in the godown and caused the fire. Within no time, the fire engulfed other floors of the building and caused six deaths”, said DCP Venkateshwar Rao, Central Zone, Hyderabad. The stock of chemical drums in the second floor flat caused further quick spread of fire, officials said.
The families residing in the third, fourth and fifth floors are trapped with the thick smoke and fire spreading up from the second floor. “We have rescued more than 10 people and the firefighting operation is still underway,” the officials said. Around 12 barrels and 38 jerry cans filled with chemicals were removed and placed them outside the building to prevent the blaze from spreading further.
The nine people who lost life in the fire included a family of seven people aged from six to 66 years, while one of the family members suffered more than 80 per cent burns and is undergoing treatment at a hospital.
President Droupadi Murmu offered condolences to the bereaved families. In a post on X the President said, “Pained by the unfortunate loss of lives due to fire accident in a building in Hyderabad. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I wish for speedy recovery of the injured.”
(Manas Dasgupta)