Hyderabad’s electronics stores are ‘ticking bombs’, say residents after Shahalibanda fire kills two

After a deadly fire at Gomathi Electronics in Shahalibanda killed two and injured six, residents and officials warn that many electronics shops operate without adequate fire safety measures. Exploding compressors intensified the blaze, raising concerns over repeated fires in the area.

Hyderabad: The electronic consumer goods stores in the city are tickling bombs with the management failing to take proper fire safety measures.

Early this week, two people died and six others suffered injuries when fire broke out at Gomathi Electronics in Shahalibanda old city. Due to the intensity of fire, the compressors of refrigerators and air conditioners started exploding. Due to the blast, the shutter of the store ripped apart and the flying metal pieces hit the road users.

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One person Sajjad Ali, a resident of Khilwat who was going on the road on his scooter died after he was hit by the metal pieces. The shop owner, Shiva Kumar Bansal, too suffered injuries and died.

“The air conditioners and refrigerators have compressors that are filled with gas. When the temperature increases due to the fire, the compressors explode and not only amplify the fire but the flying metal objects hit and injure or even kill any person,” said a fire official.

During the fire incident at Gomathi Electronics on Monday the eyewitnesses said they had heard several blasts in the shop and due to its impact the shutter of the store got ripped and its pieces fell over 20 meters away. “We are investigating the details of the fire with the assistance of the forensic experts. So far, we suspect the compressors exploded due the fire that resulted following a short circuit,” said a police official.

The fire department officials maintain that they respond to a fire call and the men go and douse the fire. This apart, the fire fighters conduct awareness programs to educate people on fire safety protocols. “We don’t go and inspect shops to check if they are adhering to fire safety rules. It is the GHMC or HYDRAA who have to check and issue notices to buildings,” said District Fire Officer Hyderabad, T Venkanna.

Local residents point out that in the past two years, fires broke out at two different electronic consumer goods stores at Shahalibanda. “Both the stores are located within 100 metre radius of Gomathi electronics. In both the incidents, the fire department personnel had battled hard to control the blaze and behind both the commercial establishments there are residential houses. We are constantly staying in fear as this is the third fire incident in the area,” said Mannan Khan, a local resident.

The residents demand the authorities classify the commercial establishments depending on the risk it posed to people and conduct joint inspections at the earliest to prevent repeat of such fatal fire accidents. “The management of high risk stores should be made to adhere to the fire safety protocols,” demanded a local resident.