According to the police, locals in the nearby residential area noticed thick smoke emanating from the industrial unit and alerted the fire department and the police personnel
Passengers who attempted to douse the fire ended up with burn injuries. Those injured included three women. The suspect escaped after passengers pulled the emergency chain.
Though there was fire safety equipment in place at the Swapnalok Complex in Secunderabad, it was not operational. Officials recently inspected the complex and warned them, but they did not act in time.
Since these shops sell the old furniture like window frames, door frames and other house furniture, locals feared that the fire might spread to residences. Fire officials suspect that a short-circuit might have caused the accident.
The hotel staff noticed fire and smoke emanating from the kitchen and immediately alerted the fire department and police, who rushed to the spot and doused it off immediately.
District Fire Officer Bukya Keshavulu said the iron articles, plastic tyres and empty bottles of liquor were reduced to ashes when the fire broke out in the shop around 3.30 am.
A 65-year old man was burnt alive when the hut he was staying in to protect crops accidentally caught fire at Ekagaon village in Bhainsa mandal in Nirmal on Monday night.