5 killed in fire at furniture shop building in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: At least five people, including two children and an elderly woman died after a fire broke out in a four-storey furniture shop building in Hyderabad’s Nampally area. The fire erupted on Saturday, triggering a large-scale rescue operation after five people were reported trapped in the basement of the building. “Five bodies, including that of two boys and an elderly woman were retrieved from the cellar of the building on Sunday,” a senior police official told PTI. Officials said the victims were suspected to have died due to asphyxiation, though the exact cause of death will be determined after post-mortem examinations. The cause of the fire is under investigation. A case has been registered against the owner of the furniture shop, police said. Telangana Fire, Disaster Response, Emergency and Civil Defence Department director general Vikram Singh Mann said large quantities of furniture, raw materials, chemicals, plastics, mattresses and foam were stored in the two basement levels of the building. “This apart, accommodation with a room was provided to a security guard and his family in the cellar,” he said, adding that the basements were meant only for parking.

Rescue operations began on Saturday afternoon and involved multiple agencies, including police, fire services, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel and the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA). Although the fire was brought under control, thick smoke billowing from the building hampered rescue efforts. Officials also said the ramp leading to the basements was blocked with materials, making access difficult. Those trapped were identified as family members of a security guard and other workers. Expressing shock over the incident, Telangana Transport and Hyderabad district in-charge minister Ponnam Prabhakar said the government would support the families of the victims. He directed police officials to file criminal cases against the shop owner for “not following” fire safety guidelines.