Hyderabad: A major fire broke out at Navya Sree food court located in Ayyappa Society Colony, Madhapur, triggered by the explosion of two LPG cylinders. The fire quickly spread to adjacent buildings and shops, prompting the deployment of two fire tenders by the fire brigade to bring the situation under control.
The incident occurred at around 1.30 pm in the kitchen of the tiffin centre.
The fire, possibly caused by a short circuit, led to the cylinders bursting.
Though the fire rapidly engulfed the kitchen and nearby shops, causing panic, no casualties were reported, according to the Madhapur police.
The explosion, accompanied by deafening sounds, reverberated through the crowded roads filled with shop owners and bystanders. Flames could be seen from a distance, resulting in the diversion of traffic in the area.
"The fire broke out around 1.30 pm, and within a few minutes, the cylinders exploded. Materials in the kitchen were completely burnt. The explosion was so powerful that the roof was blown off in seconds," stated the police, adding that the food court would be issued a notice for operating without a fire NoC.
“One section of the eatery was extensively damaged by the fire. By the time we arrived and began firefighting, the flames had intensified and started spreading. We managed to extinguish the fire in 35 minutes. The kitchen had cooking gas cylinders, two of which exploded. We safely removed four other cylinders. The fire was also triggered by containers filled with cooking oil, which we managed to take out as well. The food court has suffered significant damage," explained fire officials.
Owners of the food court Manoj Kumar and Suryanarayana, both from Jharkhand, are absconding, confirmed sub-inspector Bhanu Prakash.
"Due to our timely removal of the remaining gas cylinders and oil containers, we were able to prevent further serious damage and harm to neighbouring shops. Since the eatery was closed, no casualties were reported in the fire. Preliminary observations indicate that the fire may have originated from a short circuit in the electrical wiring or equipment," stated Mohammed Abdul Fazal, Madhapur Station Fire Officer (SFO). A case has been registered by the Madhapur police, and further investigation is underway.
