Red Hills Fire: Building Owner was on Premises During Short Circuit, Reveals Probe

Hyderabad: A probe into the Balaji Residency fire tragedy, in which nine died and 16 were injured in a chemical-catalysed inferno on Monday, revealed that the owner of the building, Purni Ramesh Jaiswal, was present on the premises at the time of the fire.

Eitnesses said that Ramesh — who also owns Sri Balaji Enterprises and stored highly combustible chemicals in the apartment basement — and his workers were washing the godown when the fire started due to a short circuit in the main panel board, adjacent to the lift.

One of Jaiswal’s associates said that while he informed the occupants and raised the alarm, the building owner and his workers concentrated on removing the stored chemicals from the premises.

When they began to become breathless due to the smoke, and realising that the fire had grown beyond their control, Jaiswal escaped from the scene.

The source, who did not wish to be named, said: “Ramesh sat on my bike, complaining that he had a breathing problem. He was holding his head with both hands when he fell unconscious. Before that he said ‘yeh kya ho gaya (what has happened?)’.”

When questioned about Jaiswal’s health condition and alleged heart stroke, the source said: “I am not sure what exactly happened to him. After he gained consciousness, he spoke to some police officials at the scene. He received a call from someone, then he vanished from the scene. We got busy rescuing victims and later we came to know that Ramesh was in the ICU of a private hospital in Lakdikapul. I am not the right person to speak about what exactly happened to him; maybe the doctors know.”

A close friend, a Bazarghat local, said Jaiswal that was an influential person, with political connections.

Nampally inspector Begari Abhilash said the police were waiting for Jaiswal’s recovery to take the process forward. “We have posted two policemen at the hospital,” Abhilash said.

He said that the doctors had determined that Jaiswal had inhaled carbon monoxide, and was undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU). “At this moment we cannot arrest him or take his statement. Once he recovers we will take him into custody,” Abhilash told Deccan Chronicle.