At least 11 people were killed after a massive fire broke out at a scrap shop in Hyderabad’s Bhoiguda area on Wednesday morning. Efforts to douse the fire and rescue operations are currently underway.
The deceased workers, all hailing from Bihar, were sleeping in a room constructed above the godown at Bhoiguda here when the incident happened, fire and police officials said.
The workers could not save themselves as there was only one internal spiral staircase, though one person managed to escape after jumping out of the room, they said.
The deceased are migrant workers from Chapra district in Bihar. They were identified as Bittu, Sikander, Dipak, Pankaj, Rajesh, Raju, Chintu, Dinesh, Satyander and Damodar.
Based on preliminary investigation, a fire official said the blaze started from the scrap godown and spread to the room above. The workers appeared to have tried to escape but soon fell unconscious after inhaling the thick smoke.
It was a heart-wrenching scene as bodies, charred beyond recognition, were found in a heap as they apparently collapsed upon inhaling the smoke, he said.
DNA tests would be conducted to identify the deceased, a police official told PTI. The cause of the fire would be known after investigation, he said.
Police Commissioner C V Anand said they had been coming to work at the godown for the last three years, and were receiving Rs 12,000 as salary per month. “As they were unable to get rooms for rent nearby, they were staying in a room on the first floor of the godown. Some of the deceased died in their sleep after inhaling the smoke.
“Electrical and plastic cables caught fire in the godown due to which the fire spread very quickly. All the people were trapped on the first floor with no escape. One youth named Prem managed to jump and was injured. He is recovering at Gandhi Hospital. The manner in which the scrap. including the electrical and plastic cables, were carelessly stored in the godown is illegal. If the owner of the godown is found to have violated any rules, action would be taken against him,” Anand added.
Telangana CM KC Rao mourned the death of Bihar workers in the fire at Boiguda Timber Depot in Secunderabad. He announced ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each for the next of the kins and directed Chief Secretary to make arrangements for the repatriation of bodies of workers killed in the incident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief on the incident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of the kin of deceased. “Pained by the loss of lives due to a tragic fire in Bhoiguda, Hyderabad. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of the deceased,” the PMO said in a statement.