HYDERABAD: With the death toll increasing to eight including women, two are pronounced critical injured at the fire accident that took place in Ruby Hotel on late Monday.
Police and fire tenders still continuing to clean up the spot, identified victims from the spot are said to be belonging to Delhi, Chennai, Bihar including Andhra Pradesh.
Dead bodies of the victims are currently placed in Gandhi Hospital for postmortem and the respective families were informed.
Initial investigation revealed that one of the bikes or generator possibly exploded. Locals along with police and fire departments worked hand in hand to rescue the inmates that were stuck in the hotel.
At the time of the accident, there were 25 occupants in the hotel, which is located close to the Passport Office.
Most of the victims were asphyxiated.
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The death toll is likely to increase, official sources said. Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand said it was suspected that either an e-bike or a generator placed in the Ruby Motors showroom exploded leading to the fire.
The flames leapt up the staircase and soon engulfed the cellar, ground, first and second floors of the building. More than the fire, it was the smoke that suffocated the inmates.
The thick smoke kept billowing out several hours after Fire Department officials rushed to the spot and started rescue operations. A few locals who were nearby also joined in and helped rescue precious lives.
The fire and smoke from the showroom engulfed Hotel Ruby Pride situated above the showroom killing the victims.
"It appears there are 23 rooms in all four floors in the hotel. The smoke traversed through the staircase from the bottom up to the top floor and completely engulfed all floors."
"Some people who were sleeping in the first and second floors came to the corridor through the thick smoke and died due to asphyxiation," Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand who visited the spot told reporters.
Exact reasons for fire, whether it is due to short circuit or charging of batteries in the cellar or in the first floor where the scooter showroom is located, will be known after the Fire Department's investigation, he said.
"The cellar which usually should be used for parking--obviously they are doing something else. That is a matter of inquiry," the official added.
About 24 people were said to be staying in the hotel at the time of the incident.
Firefighters rushed to the spot and rescued seven guests, who were trapped in the multi-storeyed building.
Fire Department DG Sanjay Jain said two fire tenders were pressed into service after the fire broke out at 9.20 pm. The injured were rushed to Gandhi Hospital and Yashoda Hospital.
The hotel has 23 rooms and roughly 50 per cent of the rooms were occupied when the fire broke out.
Cinematography Minister and Sanathnagar MLA Talasani Srinivas Yadav also reached the spot to supervise rescue operations.
As there was no emergency exit in the ground+four-storeyed building, seven persons jumped off from different floors to save themselves. Some of the occupants tried to climb down the pipeline.
The Fire Department rescued four persons using a hydraulic elevator.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished for a quick recovery of those who were injured.
The prime minister's office tweeted that Rs 2 lakh would be paid to the family members of each of the deceased, and Rs 50,000 to the injured.
"Saddened by the loss of lives due to a fire in Secunderabad, Telangana. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be paid to the next of kin of each deceased. Rs. 50,000 would be paid to the injured," he tweeted.
The ex-gratia is being paid through the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao has also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh to the families of each of the deceased on behalf of the State government.
Fire sprinklers out of order at Ruby Pride Hotel: Cop
Speaking to the media, both Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand and Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav said that the rescue operations were on and investigations would reveal what actually caused the explosion and fire.
The building has fire sprinklers but they did not function at the time, said DG Fire, Sanjay Jain.
A fire distress call was made at 9.37 pm and fire tenders were immediately rushed to the spot.
There are several vehicles parked in the building’s cellar as well.
CV Anand said: “There were some 20 to 23 people in the building. Most of the residents were business people and seem to be north Indians. The smoke engulfed the building through the staircase. Some of them seemed to have died because of asphyxiation caused by the smoke. Four persons died in Gandhi and one in Yashoda. A woman has also succumbed.”
(With PTI Inputs)