22 furniture shops gutted in Bachupally fire; HYDRAA chief Ranganath asks shop owners to be alert

Hyderabad: Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRAA) Commissioner AV Ranganath on Wednesday inspected the site of the recent fire accident in Bachupally, where several furniture shops were gutted in a blaze on Tuesday night.

Officials said over 22 furniture shops were destroyed, resulting in significant financial losses.

Beware of summer heat triggering fires

With summer setting in and temperatures rising, authorities have urged traders and residents to remain vigilant against fire accidents.

During the visit, the Commissioner reviewed the extent of damage and interacted with shop owners to understand the possible causes of the incident.

Sparks from electrical transformer may have caused fire

The HYDRAA Commissioner visited the affected stretch along the Bachupally main road and assessed the situation on the ground.

Shop owners informed him that sparks from a nearby electrical transformer following a short circuit might have triggered the fire, which quickly spread to the furniture stores.

Another shop owner suggested that an overhead power line snapping and catching fire could have led to the blaze. Authorities are examining all possible causes behind the incident.

Regardless of the exact cause, the Commissioner stressed that summer months significantly increase the risk of fire accidents, particularly in commercial establishments dealing with highly flammable materials such as wood and furniture.

Need for greater awareness of fire safety

Ranganath said fire accidents cannot be prevented solely through inspections by authorities. Instead, public awareness and strict adherence to fire safety norms are essential to minimise such incidents.

He urged traders and property owners to understand the common causes of fires and take preventive measures accordingly.

“Many people lose assets they accumulated over years in a matter of minutes due to a single accident,” he said.

According to shop owners, each of the affected stores contained furniture worth over Rs 25 lakh, making the losses substantial.

Over 22 shops destroyed

Officials said more than 22 shops were reduced to ashes in the fire. The Commissioner noted that the losses suffered by traders were severe and described the incident as a major financial setback for those affected.

He added that compensation-related matters will be handled by the Revenue Department, which will assess the losses and take further action.

Proposal for stronger enforcement powers

Ranganath also revealed that the government has been requested to grant HYDRAA greater authority to act against establishments that fail to follow fire safety norms.