Around 3 am on Wednesday, March 23, Prem, a worker at Srinivas Traders, a scrap godown in Secunderabad’s Bhoiguda, jumped off from the first floor after a massive fire engulfed the godown. As soon as he jumped to safety, he called up his friends at the nearby godown for help -- 11 others who worked with him in the godown were still trapped inside on the first floor as the fire raged on. By the time the workers from the neighbouring godown arrived, the fire had already spread across the godown. Fire personnel rushed to the spot on receiving the information, but 11 workers who were trapped inside the godown, died in the accident.
Around 10 am, hours after the fire gutted the godown, Mahesh, a DCM driver who worked at Raja Rajeswari Traders, a short distance away from the godown that burnt down, stood staring into the gutted godown visibly shocked. He knew all 11 workers who had died in the tragic fire accident on Wednesday morning. Speaking to TNM, Mahesh confirmed that Prem called him and his friends after he got out of the burning building. “By the time we arrived, the fire had engulfed the entire godown. There was no way the workers could enter to rescue those trapped,” he said.
The workers at this godown stayed on the first floor in a room. When asked why the workers did not take an accommodation elsewhere, Mahesh said, “Who will give houses on rent to migrant workers who are bachelors? They cooked here and managed with whatever they had.”
Narayana, a 63-year-old scrap shop owner in Mallikarjun Nagar has been supplying scrap to this godown for nearly eight years now. When he heard about the fire at Srinivas Traders, he rushed to the godown. “I supplied newspapers, bottles, cables and other scrap to this godown. I have been bringing the scrap here for nearly eight years now. These workers load and unload the scrap and also segregate them. They are usually paid Rs 600-700 per day and are mostly migrant workers,” explained Narayana.
According to the officials, the 11 workers who succumbed in the fire accident hail from Bihar. The godown had only one entrance and did not have a fire exit. District Fire Officer (DFO), Hyderabad, M Srinivas, Reddy told TNM that nine fire engines were pressed into action immediately on receiving the information. “Initially, we weren’t aware that there are workers inside the godown. The workers were trapped inside on the first floor and there was only one spiral staircase that led to the first floor. The bodies were all recovered from the room on top.” According to the fire officials, the bodies were charred beyond recognition. As per preliminary investigation, a short circuit seems to be the reason for the fire that gutted the godown. “Highly combustible material was the reason the fire spread immediately. It is unfortunate that the workers were accommodated inside the godown itself,” said the DFO. An LPG cylinder was also there on the first floor which was used for cooking by the workers.
Hearing news of the fire accident, relatives of those who succumbed in the accident gathered to inquire where the bodies had been taken. Gajender, a native of Bihar, who works at a factory in Chandanagar received information at around 6 am on Wednesday about the fire. His brother and his nephew worked at the godown. “They had been working at this godown for around a year. We came from Chandanagar on hearing about the fire accident. They haven’t shown us the bodies as yet,” he said.
Shanker Das, another relative of one of the workers who died, was informed about the accident by Prem. Speaking to TNM, Shanker said, “My relative Satender worked at this godown. I knew the others too. I rushed here immediately when I heard about the accident.” Shanker works at a factory that makes covers for medicines and is located in Amberpet.
Expressing shock over the incident, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia to the families of victims. He also directed Chief Secretary K Somesh Kumar to make arrangements to send the bodies to their native places. Home Minister Mahmood Ali, Minister Talasani Srinivas, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand visited the godown.
Mahmood Ali said a meeting of officials from concerned departments has been scheduled this evening. “A meeting has been scheduled at 3 pm on Wednesday. A stock will be taken of how many such godowns are functioning within the city. Fires are more prone during the summer season. The Fire Department is always vigilant. Even in this case, they immediately rushed to the spot. Unfortunately, 11 lives were lost in the accident.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said he is pained by the loss of lives due to a tragic fire in Hyderabad and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased. "Pained by the loss of lives due to a tragic fire in Bhoiguda, Hyderabad. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief," Prime Minister Modi was quoted as saying by his office. "An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of the deceased," he said.