Police book building maintenance committee after 6 killed in massive fire at Swapnalok Complex

The victims have been identified as Shiva, Prameela, Sravani, Vennela, Triveni, and Prashant.

Twelve others who were rescued from the flaming building have been sent home after treatment at different hospitals, fire department officials said.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Friday announced an ex gratia of ₹5 lakh to the kin of the deceased.

He also directed the concerned officials to provide better treatment to the injured. He said that the government would support the families of the deceased and the injured in all ways.

The chief minister advised Home Minister Mahmood Ali and Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav to examine the situation at the ground level and take necessary measures.

Police book building committee

Meanwhile, the cops have registered a case at the Mahankali Police Station in the city against the building maintenance committee of the Swapanlok Complex for negligence.

They have been booked under Section 304 (II) (causing the death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide).

“The case has been registered against the building committee for failing to ensure the safety of the building,” an officer with the Mahankali Police Station told South First.

“We have secured the area and no one is being allowed inside the B-Block until the structural safety of the building is examined,” added the officer.

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Victims locked themselves in a washroom

The victims belonged to the Warangal and Khammam districts of Telangana. They were employed in a marketing company which had an office in the complex, officials said.

They had reportedly locked themselves in a washroom to save themselves from the flames.

A senior police officer said the cause of death would be known after an investigation but, most likely, inhaling smoke could be the reason.

“We have information that six persons have died,” the officer said, adding the fire has been brought under control.

Officials said that 13 fire vehicles, including four fire engines, were sent to the spot to extinguish the blaze as huge flames leapt out from one of the floors of the eight-storey building following a distress call at 7.33 pm.

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Short-circuit suspected to be cause

Six people were found unconscious and were taken to the Gandhi Hospital, where they were declared dead by the doctors due to asphyxiation. (Supplied)

A preliminary investigation suggested that a short-circuit could be the reason behind the blaze. Officials suspect the short circuit occurred on the seventh floor of the building and triggered the fire, which spread to the other floors.

After disconnecting the power supply, officials evacuated the building and launched rescue operations for those stuck inside.

Another official supervising the rescue operation said that, till around midnight, a lot of smoke was still coming out of the building and it would take some time for it to subside.

Rescue personnel were scouring the area to look for anyone still trapped inside, he said.

The building has 10 floors and is a commercial hub for garments, accessories and private offices and houses over 200 commercial establishments and a lot of people visit the complex on a daily basis. A large number of people were present in the building when the fire began.

Members of the Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services, and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC)’s Disaster and Response Force (DRF) were involved in the rescue operations. GHMC Mayor Vijayalaxmi Gadwal also visited the site to oversee the rescue operation.

Reached the fire accident spot in Swapnalok complex engulfed in flames, closely monitoring the rescue operations along with @Director_EVDM and @CEC_EVDM disaster management teams. Will investigate the cause of the fire accident. @KTRBRS @GHMCOnline @IPRTelangana pic.twitter.com/7BHscZovYg

— Vijayalaxmi Gadwal, GHMC MAYOR (@gadwalvijayainc) March 16, 2023