HYDRAA steps up checks after Nampally fire
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) has taken serious note of recurring fire accidents in the city and decided to intensify inspections in coordination with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the Fire Services Department.
Focus on causes, prevention measures
HYDRAA said it is examining the causes behind recent fire incidents and has drawn up an action plan to prevent such accidents in future. Officials said enforcement of fire safety norms will be tightened through joint inspections with civic and fire authorities.
On Tuesday, HYDRAA commissioner A V Ranganath inspected the fire accident site at a furniture showroom in Nampally, where a blaze broke out on Saturday. Additional director Varla Papaiah and District Fire Officer Yagnanarayana accompanied him.
Preliminary assessment indicates that negligence by the showroom management and violations of fire safety norms led to the incident, officials said. Large quantities of inflammable furniture stored in basements and corridors, leaving no clear space, increased the risk and contributed to the fire.
Inspections, not just advisories
Ranganath said basements must be used only for vehicle parking and not for storing inflammable materials. He cautioned against using basements for residential purposes or cooking. Clear exit routes must be ensured so that occupants can evacuate quickly even in case of a short circuit, he added.
Staircases and corridors should not be used for storage, and buildings must install automatic sprinklers to extinguish fires without human intervention. These systems should also be checked periodically to ensure they are functional, he said.
HYDRAA warned that joint inspections by Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, the Fire Services Department and HYDRAA will be carried out to ensure strict compliance with fire safety rules.
“There will be no compromise on public safety,” the commissioner said.
