Hyderabad, March 17 (IANS) Six people were killed in a huge fire that broke out in a multi-storey building in Secunderabad here on Thursday night, officials said.
The deceased include four women. Seven others were rescued by fire service personnel.
Hyderabad District Collector Amoy Kumar said the victims died of suffocation due to the smoke.
The deceased, all stated to be in their 20s, succumbed at Gandhi Hospital. They hailed from Warangal, Mahabubabad, and Khammam districts and were said to be employees of a company operating out of the building.
After battling for four hours, fire fighting personnel controlled the fire which started from the third floor of Swapnalok Complex and spread to the upper floors of the eight-storey building, which houses offices.
Officials said the rescue work was still on as the smoke has not yet cleared.
Ten fire tenders rushed to the scene and were engaged in the fire-fighting operation.
Huge flames leaping out of the building, causing panic among people in the area. Police vacated residents staying in adjoining buildings.
According to locals, the fire broke out between 7.30 and 8 p.m. The cause of the fire was not known.
State minister T. Srinivas Yadav rushed to the spot and was monitoring rescue and relief work.
This is the second major fire accident in Secunderabad, the twin city of Hyderabad, in less than two months.
Three persons were killed in a huge fire at a multi-storey commercial complex on January 28. The building was completely gutted in the fire and it was later demolished by the authorities as the structure had become weak.
The accused have been identified as Amit Kedia (30), resident of SBI Colony near Kalyan Vihar; Sachin Gupta (36), resident of Pitampura; Rohit Jain (36), resident of Shalimar Bagh; and Pradeep Kumar alias Rahul alias Pradhan (34), resident of Model Town-III.
Ashish is the main accused in the incident wherein a vehicle belonging to the Union minister allegedly mowed down four farmers during a protest against the now-repealed agricultural laws. Two BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death, while a local journalist was killed in the violence that ensued.
Chairing a meeting with industrialists here to solicit their views on draft industrial policy, the Chief Minister said it would serve the twin motives as it would give impetus to industrial development on one hand and open new vistas of employment for rural youth on the other.
"Three passengers were placed under arrest for carrying 1,872 grams gold dust concealed in specially designed undergarments whereas 2,840 grams was recovered during rummaging the flight's toilet," a Customs official said.
After a preliminary probe by the Crime Branch, the prosecution informed the court that around Rs 21 crores is missing, of which the Corporation alone has lost around Rs 10 crores. The fraud has been detected at the Railway Station Link Road branch of PNB.
The All-Party meet on India's G-20 Presidency was a productive one. I thank all leaders who participated in the meeting and shared their insights. This Presidency belongs to the entire nation and will give us the opportunity to showcase our culture.
