A major fire broke out in a furniture shop located in the ground floor of a four-storey building in the busy commercial area of Nampally in Hyderabad on Saturday evening, the police said, adding at least five persons are feared trapped inside the building.
Hyderabad police commissioner V C Sajjannar said the fire broke out in Bacha Furniture Shop in Nampally at around 5 pm. “The local police, along with disaster response teas are engaged in rescue operations. Traffic movement in the area has been severely disrupted,” he said.
According to preliminary information, the fire started in the furniture shop on the ground floor and quickly spread upward to the top floor, with flames raging intensely for several hours. The building is closer to the Exhibition Grounds, where the annual All India Industrial Exhibition, locally referred to as Numaish, is going on.
Fire and rescue personnel rushed to the spot immediately and began firefighting operations. As many as 25 fire engines were pressed into service to bring the blaze under control. Thick smoke and high flames made rescue efforts challenging.
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force were called. Along with hydraulic platforms, fire tenders have also used robotic devices to assist in the rescue. “We have sent in a robotic viewfinder to look for people inside. So far, we have not got any results,” a fire department official said.
{{/usCountry}}Teams from the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force were called. Along with hydraulic platforms, fire tenders have also used robotic devices to assist in the rescue. “We have sent in a robotic viewfinder to look for people inside. So far, we have not got any results,” a fire department official said.
{{/usCountry}}While people living in the building quickly came out before the flames engulfed the structure, five people - identified as Baby (44), Syed Habeeb (40), Imtiaz (26), Praneeth (11) and his brother Akhil (7) – were feared trapped inside. “Rescue operations are going on to bring them out,” the official said.
Sajjanar reached the scene and closely monitored the situation. He directed officials to take all necessary measures to control the fire swiftly and ensure the safety of those trapped inside. Authorities are also evacuating residents from nearby areas as a precautionary measure.
The commissioner asked the people to postpone their visit to the exhibition today to avoid inconvenience.
Several ambulances have been kept ready near the scene to provide immediate medical assistance if victims are rescued or injured. Officials are also working with local residents to remove hazardous materials from the vicinity to prevent the fire from spreading further.
With flames rising high and thick smoke spreading across the area, local residents have been gripped by fear and anxiety. Authorities have urged the public to stay away from the building to avoid further risk.