Nampally furniture store fire kills two children, two adults
HYDERABAD: The deaths of two children, Akhil and Praneeth, in a fire at a furniture store in Nampally have plunged their family into grief. The boys were the children of Yadaiah and Lakshmi, who worked as watchman and helper at Bachas Furniture.
Until moments before the blaze, the children were playing at home. When the fire broke out and news reached the family, the parents waited in hope that the boys would be rescued alive. Instead, they were left inconsolable as the children were found lifeless after being trapped in thick smoke and flames.
Seeing the bodies, the parents broke down, crying that their children would have survived had they gone to school that day.
Two families living in cellar
Two families were living in the cellar of the Bachas Furniture store. Yadaiah’s family occupied one room, while another room was used by Beena Bee, a cleaner. On Saturday, Yadaiah and his children Akhil and Praneeth stayed back at home instead of going to school.
When the fire spread in the cellar, the iron grill gate was locked from outside. The children moved into a corner of the room but died due to inhalation of dense smoke. Salesman Mohammed Imtiyaz and auto driver Syed Habeeb, who tried to rescue the children, also died in the incident.
No escape route
Police said cellars meant for vehicle parking had been fully packed with furniture and hazardous materials. Except for a narrow passage, the entire area was filled with stored goods.
The shutter and iron grills along the ramp and staircase were locked. Due to darkness, intense heat and heavy smoke inside the cellar, the victims could not find an exit and were trapped inside. A team of experts from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University inspected the accident site on Sunday afternoon.
Fire caused by short circuit
Abids Assistant Commissioner of Police Praveen Kumar told reporters that preliminary investigation indicated a short circuit as the cause of the fire.
Based on a complaint filed by watchman Yadaiah, a case was registered against the owner, Satish Bacha. Firefighting operations were carried out with coordination from multiple departments, he said.
Action would be taken based on reports from the fire services department and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. A fire engine reached the spot within 25 minutes, but rescue teams faced difficulty entering the cellar due to lack of access, the ACP said.
