HYDERABAD: A massive fire tore through a multi-storey sports store building on Minister Road in Ramgopalpet, leaving at least two persons in the building believed to be dead and four more trapped. The sports store was destroyed by the blaze, which raged throughout the day and into dusk, leaving behind piles of burnt-out debris. At least 24 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to bring the blaze under control. Home Minister Mahmood Ali inspected the building and the surrounding areas in the vicinity on Thursday evening, and ordered a thorough investigation. “Nobody died in the mishap. Actions will be taken to prevent such incidents from happening in the future,” he said.
The rescue operation lasted for more than eight hours. However, the building was enveloped in a thick cloud of smoke, making the rescue effort all but impossible, and two firemen who were battling the enormous fire suffered serious injuries. One of the firefighters was rushed to a private hospital and is currently undergoing treatment in the ICU.
The fire that erupted in the Deccan Knitwear and Sportswear store’s building on Thursday morning spread across all the six floors due to a possible short circuit, emitting dense smoke from all sides. The stretch of road, which frequently experiences congestion after noon, was barricaded by the police, who advised motorists to take alternate routes.
As the fire grew steadily throughout the day, fire tenders from as far away Jeedimetla and Hayathnagar were rushed to the spot. Officials from the fire control room confirmed that they received distress calls at 11 am. Initially, two fire tenders were dispatched to the scene, and soon a string of fire vehicles followed throughout the day to bring the blaze under control.
Fire tenders were dispatched to the building as soon as they received distress calls, said Y. Nagi Reddy, director general of the State Disaster Response and Fire Safety department. “The occupants of the top floors were rescued from the building with the help of a skylift crane. Two firefighters sustained grave injuries during the rescue operation, and they were taken to a private hospital. One of the firefighters was admitted to the ICU. His condition is stated to be critical,” he said.
The official also said that families in the nearby residential buildings
could be evacuated. Further, the residents in the nearby area were advised to stay away from the fire mishap spot until rescue operations were complete. The rescue operations were jointly carried out by the State Disaster Response and Fire Safety department, MRO, TSSPDCL, and RTO.
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