Kushaiguda fire incident: Cops register case against timber depot owner

The ill-fated family which was charred to death during the fire incident at Kushaiguda had shifted to the building four months ago

Hyderabad: The ill-fated family which was charred to death during the fire incident at Kushaiguda had shifted to the building four months ago.

Naresh (35) worked as driver for a LPG cylinders agency and stayed along with his wife and two sons on the second floor of the building. While Naresh, Suma and Joshith were in their house, the couple’s elder son had gone to stay with their relatives who stay nearby.

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Neighbours said they had made phone calls to Suma and Naresh to inform them about the fire. However, the phone calls went answered.

Kalpana who stays on the ground floor of the building, recalled that around 3.30 am, she found thick smoke entering the house and rushed out only to notice fire raging in the timber depot.

“I immediately alerted my family and all of us rushed out. The other tenants on the second and third floor rushed on the terrace and jumped on to the adjacent building,” she said.

Locals pointed out they had protested the presence of the timber depot within the locality and asked the owner to shift to some other location.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Mohd Mahmood Ali visited and inspected the spot along with police and fire department officials. He said an enquiry would be conducted and action initiated against the persons who failed to comply with the fire safety norms. “I will take up the issue of timber depots with the Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and look into the possibility of shifting them to the city outskirts,” he said.

The Kushaiguda police registered a case against the owner of the timber depot and are investigating.