Hyderabad: KPHB Furniture shop reveals lack of safety in old buildings

Hyderabad: Officials said that a furniture shop, where a massive fire was reported on Friday night near the KPHB Metro station, did not have fire safety clearances or modern firefighting equipment as it was an old structure.

GHMC vigilance director Prakash Reddy said: “The building didn't have proper fire safety measures since it was an older structure. This made it vulnerable to fires. There are approximately 2.5 lakh commercial buildings in greater Hyderabad that do not have proper fire safety measures.”

The fire at MS Furniture raised major safety concerns among residents.

Prakash Reddy said: “We have been giving notices to older structures to implement fire safety measures. More than 1,800 notices were given till date.”

Srinivas Reddy, the director of Hyderabad Fire and Rescue Services, said: “Four fire engines worked tirelessly to put out the flames and stop the situation from getting worse. We got to the scene quickly to fight the fire. But it's worrying to see older buildings without proper fire safety. It's a serious risk to the people inside and the nearby properties.”

The police said that the building housing the shop had multiple owners and that no case had been registered so far.

The fire erupted at the furniture store around 10.30 pm on Friday, due to a suspected short circuit, causing panic among commuters and residents as thick smoke erupted into the sky.

The incident also led to a traffic jam on the National Highway. Metro services were suspended for half an hour.

Firefighters quickly arrived to extinguish the blaze, but it was so intense that Metro Rail services had to be temporarily halted. Metro Rail staff pulled out their firefighting equipment and poured water on the platforms towards Kukatpally and on the staircases. They also closed the staircase.

District fire officer P. Giridhar Reddy said: “Reports suggested a short circuit, but a more thorough investigation is needed to confirm the cause and identify any safety issue. Despite the huge fire, the older building's design allowed firefighters to approach it from all sides, which helped them control the fire and prevent it from spreading to adjoining buildings.”

As passersby alerted the police and fire department, fire tenders from Kukatpally, Jeedimetla, Sanathnagar and Madhapur were deployed to the blazing building but the fire could not be controlled quickly due to the presence of combustible material in the furniture store.

Balnagar DCP T. Srinivas said the fire at MS Furniture was caused accidentally by an electrical short circuit which gutted the first and second floors. Shopowner Syed Ameen, 29, a Secunderabad resident, lodged a complaint and stated that the estimated damage was '30 lakh.