Another fire in Hyderabad exposes danger posed by illegal warehouses

Hyderabad, Nov 13:  Monday's fire tragedy in an apartment complex in Hyderabad that snuffed out nine lives is the latest in a series of disasters to hit the city since September last year.

The latest incident that happened in Nampally in the heart of the city is not different from the earlier mishaps, exposing once again the negligence of the building owners and authorities concerned and the failure to ensure adherence to safety norms despite announcement after each disaster.

People living in multi-storey buildings with their ground floor or cellars being used as warehouses for hazardous materials are falling victims.

In Monday's incident, nine persons were killed and 12 others injured after a fire broke out in the ground floor which was being used to store chemicals used in making fibre bodies of air coolers.

Six families living on rent in six flats in three upper floors were trapped in the fire which spread rapidly due to inflammable chemical.

The entire family of one Mohammed Azam (58), a businessman, perished in the horrific tragedy.

Azam, his wife Rehana Sultana (50), son Hasib-ur-Rahman (32), a pharmacist, and younger daughter Faiza Samreen (26) lost their lives.

Azam's elder daughter Thahoora Farheen (35), and her two daughters Tooba (6) and Tarooba (13) were also among the victims.

Thahoora had come to her parents along with the children to spend holidays.

The file also claimed the lives of Zakeer Hussain (66), a retired doctor and his wife Nikath Sultana (55).

The number of chemical cans and other material removed by the rescue workers while battling the fire show that it was a tragedy waiting to happen.

Though it was a residential building, the owner was illegally storing chemicals in the stilt floor. The building is located in a densely populated Bazar Ghat neighbourhood but even neighbours were not aware of the nature of goods being stored there.

"Being a residential apartment, the stilt floor is meant for parking. Instead, chemical tins and drums, F.R.P rolls, raw materials, polyester resin and related products were dumped/stored," according to a release from the office of the Chief Secretary.

Even in the setbacks of the building, these materials were dumped which led to quick spread of fire vertically. Smoke quickly engulfed the stairwell of the only available staircase. Inmates in the upper floors were not able to come down due to this and got trapped in smoke and fire which caused deaths.

Remaining people were rescued by fire service crew members through ladders, stairs and were evacuated from the building.

The government requested the owners/occupiers of the buildings to ensure that hazardous chemicals/materials are not stored in the residential premises.

Hyderabad and the twin city Secunderabad have seen a series of accidents in recent months and after every accident, authorities promised action against those violating fire safety norms and illegally running warehouses in residential areas.

In September last year, eight persons were killed and nine others injured in a hotel.

A major fire broke out at Ruby Pride Luxury Hotel following an explosion in an e-bike showroom located in the basement of the five-storied building near Passport Office. Three workers were charred to death in a huge fire in a garment store on January 19 at Nallagutta on Ministers Road.

The fire raged for two days in the six storeyed commercial building. The municipal authorities later demolished the structure as it had turned weak.

Six persons including four women were killed in a huge fire in the multi-storied Swapnalok Complex in Secunderabad on March 15.

Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, who is MP from Secunderabad, said the state government failed to take action to prevent fire mishaps.

"Whenever a fire accident takes place, they say we will take action but later forget it,” said Kishan Reddy.