Major Blaze at Hyderabad Furniture Showroom Leaves Five Feared Trapped
A devastating fire broke out at a prominent furniture showroom in Hyderabad on Saturday afternoon, creating a critical emergency situation that has left at least five individuals, including two young children, feared trapped within the building's cellar. The incident occurred at Batcha's Furniture Castle, located on the busy Nampally Station Road, sending thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky and triggering a massive multi-agency rescue response that continued late into the night.
Intense Rescue Efforts Amid Challenging Conditions
Firefighting and rescue teams from Telangana Fire Services, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Hyderabad Disaster Response and Action (HYDRAA) battled extreme conditions throughout Saturday evening and night. Despite bringing the blaze under control by nighttime, rescue operations faced significant obstacles due to intense heat and dense smoke that permeated from the ground floor upward through the four-storey structure.
"We deployed six water pipes inside to reach the cellar, but the heat was so intense that our personnel could not proceed beyond a few stairs," revealed a senior NDRF official involved in the operation. "Our smoke ventilator was also burnt in the process. We are now exploring alternative methods to access the trapped individuals."
Victims Identified as Rescue Continues
The five people feared trapped in the cellar have been identified as:
- Praneeth Kumar (11 years old)
- Akhil Kumar (7 years old)
- Mohammed Imtiaz (26 years old)
- Mohammed Habeeb (40 years old)
- Bebi (45 years old)
The two children reportedly lived in the cellar along with their families, while Imtiaz and Habeeb were employed at the showroom and involved in transporting goods. Bebi, who worked as a watchwoman, resided in the cellar with her two sons. As of late Saturday night, no official casualties or injuries had been reported, but the five individuals remained missing, with rescue operations ongoing.
Possible Causes and Building Details
Fire officials indicated that the blaze may have originated either in the cellar or on the ground floor, though the exact cause remains under investigation. "It could be a short circuit or something burning due to flammable material," stated Telangana Fire, Disaster Response, Emergency and Civil Defence Director General Vikram Singh Mann. "We believe some people are trapped inside, and rescue operations are underway to ascertain how many."
The building's configuration presented particular challenges. The ground floor housed furniture displays, while the cellar contained storage of foam, wooden materials, and chemicals that likely contributed to the fire's rapid spread. The upper floors also functioned as furniture showrooms. The establishment had been operating for approximately eight years within the Hindi Prachar Sabha complex and employed around 40 workers.
Owner's Absence and Official Response
In a concerning development, showroom owner Satish Batcha reportedly fled the scene following the fire outbreak. Hyderabad District Collector Harichandana Dasari expressed frustration at this development, noting "If he was present, rescue operations could have been conducted faster. This is very irresponsible." Dasari further indicated that authorities would investigate whether the upper floors were constructed with proper approvals or illegally.
The scale of the emergency response was substantial, with approximately 16 fire tenders, a broncho skylift, and a firefighting robot deployed to combat the blaze and facilitate rescue efforts. Meanwhile, the Telangana Human Rights Commission has registered a formal complaint alleging serious lapses by government authorities in connection with the Nampally fire incident.
As rescue operations continued into the night, the Hyderabad community awaited updates on the fate of those trapped within the smoldering structure, with hopes pinned on the dedicated efforts of emergency responders battling against time and challenging conditions.
