Hyderabad: Fire breaks out in shopping complex near Charminar; no casualties

HYDERABAD: A huge fire broke out at a commercial complex near historic Charminar in Hyderabad on Thursday. No casualties were reported.

The incident occurred in a garment shop and spread to adjoining shops on the first floor of SYJ Complex at Pathergatti near the busy Madina Crossroads.

Eight fire engines rushed to the spot to extinguish the fire. Personnel from five different fire stations were mobilised to control the blaze.

Fire services personnel and police brought the fire under control after strenuous efforts for two hours.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Charminar Zone) Kiran Khare and other senior officials supervised the firefighting operation, which prevented the blaze from spreading to other shops.

Three shops were gutted in the fire. Casualties were averted as the fire broke out before the shops opened for the day. The complex has several shops, banks and diagnostic centres.

The cause of the fire was not known. Police said they were investigating.

The incident occurred a year after a devastating fire in the same area claimed the lives of 17 members of a pearl trader’s family.

Meanwhile, five shops were gutted in a fire in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district late on Wednesday night.

The fire broke out around midnight near Anjaneyaswamy temple in Maddimadugu in Padara mandal. Police said the fire was caused by a short circuit. Five shops, a motorbike and other property were gutted in the blaze.