Secunderabad fire: At least 8 dead in hotel blaze, PM Modi announces Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia

A huge fire in Secunderabad’s Ruby Pride Luxury hotel that broke out late last night claimed at least eight lives and left several injured. The fire in the multi-storeyed building was a result of an explosion at an electronic bike showroom located on the ground floor of the building.

According to officials, the primary cause of death was asphyxiation due to inhalation of the thick smoke. There were 25 people present in the establishment when the ground floor first caught fire. The building, which is located near the Passport Office, was engulfed in a blaze of fire soon after. Visuals of several guests trying to escape from the windows surfaced.

The fire broke out last night around 9.30. The fire started in the basement, where a lot of electric bikes were parked. We don't know the origin of the fire as yet. 8 people have died & some are hospitalised. A case has been registered: Chandana Deepti, DCP, North Zone, Hyderabad https://t.co/6MwdNqzFKh pic.twitter.com/yerNKV4fqc
— ANI (@ANI) September 13, 2022

On reaching the spot, the fire department rescued several people stuck in their rooms. With cranes and some help from the locals, the firefighters managed to save the lives of at least seven guests, according to officials.

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The injured were rushed to the nearby hospital for treatment and fire has been controlled, said Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand.

Telangana | Six dead after a fire broke out at a hotel in Secunderabad. Fire broke out in electric scooter recharging unit on ground floor, smoke from which overpowered the people staying on 1st & 2nd floors: Hyderabad Commissioner CV Anand pic.twitter.com/35Hbn3GgwW
— ANI (@ANI) September 13, 2022

“There were electric scooters parked where the fire started. We don’t know if it started because of over-charging and then spread or whether it started elsewhere. That is still being established,” Deputy commissioner of Police, Hyderabad Chandana Deepti told news agency Reuters.

According to Anand, the cause of fire was a short-circuit. The fire might have caused as a result of an e-vehicle or a generator explosion, Anand added.

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Meanwhile, Telangana Home Minister Mohammad Mehmood Ali has ordered an investigation into the incident as the cause of fire is still unknown. Officials are also probing the non-functioning of the water sprinkler system as the building caught fire.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and offered condolences to the family of the deceased and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the injured.