Latest news with #TelanganaStateDisasterResponseandFireServices
The Hindu
01-07-2025
- The Hindu
44 days on, Gulzar Houz fire probe panel awaits direction; another formed for Sangareddy blast
More than six weeks after a devastating fire at Gulzar Houz near the Charminar here claimed the lives of 17 members of a single family, there is no word about the official investigation. An announcement was made on May 20 about the formation of a six-member high-level committee. But more than a month later, neither a report has been submitted nor have formal directives been issued by the government. The committee was expected to investigate the incident, assess departmental lapses, and recommend safety measures. It comprised Director General of Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services Y. Nagi Reddy, Commissioner of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation R.V. Karnan, Commissioner of Hyderabad City Police C.V. Anand; Chairman and Managing Director of Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited Musharraf Faruqui; Commissioner of Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency A.V. Ranganath and Hyderabad District Collector Anudeep Durishetty. As per a public statement issued by Hyderabad in-charge Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on the day of the committee's formation, the report was to be submitted to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and followed by a review meeting involving Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and senior officials. However, senior officials confirmed that no Government Order was issued, and no communication issued to the committee members. 'Since no formal instructions were received, no official action has been taken. There have been informal discussions, but no structured effort or report has followed,' an official said, seeking anonymity. 'Although the announcement was made, no official communication ever followed from the government,' said another official. A fresh committee has been formed following a deadly blast at Sigachi Industries Pvt. Ltd. in Pashamylaram industrial area on Monday. The explosion, which killed at least 36 workers and injured several others, triggered immediate government response and the announcement of a high-level probe. The Chief Minister announced the formation of a five-member committee to probe the Sangareddy industrial disaster. The panel comprises the Chief Secretary, Special Chief Secretary (Disaster Management), Principal Secretary (Labour), Principal Secretary (Health) and Additional Director General of Police (Fire Services). The committee will not only investigate the underlying causes of the blast but also submit a report recommending preventive measures to avoid recurrence of such industrial tragedies.
India Gazette
01-07-2025
- India Gazette
Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma expresses grief over Sangareddy fire victims
Sangareddy (Telangana) [India], July 1 (ANI): Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma has expressed grief over the tragic fire accident that occurred at the Pashamylaram industrial area in Sangareddy district that killed 12 people. The Governor paid condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the incident and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. The Governor spoke to the Labour, Employment Training and Factories (LETF) Principal Secretary Kishore, and directed him to extend all possible assistance and the best of medical help to the victims. Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu on Monday expressed grief over the fire accident at the Sigachi Pharma chemical factory. 'Deeply saddened by the tragic fire accident at a factory in Sangareddy, Telangana, which claimed several lives. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured,' Murmu said in a post on X. Prior to that, the Director General of the Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services, Y Nagi Reddy, stated that rescue officials are currently unsure of the number of people trapped under the debris following the blast at the Sigachi Pharma Company in Sangareddy. Director General of the Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services, Y Nagi Reddy, stated that rescue officials are currently unsure of the number of people trapped under the debris following the blast at the Sigachi Pharma Company in Sangareddy. He added that, according to industrial experts, the blast occurred during the air handling and drying of Microcrystalline cellulose. 'Today, at around 9.48 am, there was a blast in the drying unit at Sigachi Pharma Company. The explosion led to a fire. A total of 12 people have died and 35 are injured in the incident,' Nagi Reddy told reporters after visiting the accident site. 'As per industrial experts, the incident happened during the air handling/drying of Microcrystalline cellulose. We are currently unsure of the number of people under the debris,' he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed sorrow over the loss of lives in the explosion and announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakhs for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund. In a post on X, the Prime Minister's Office wrote, 'Anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire tragedy at a factory in Sangareddy, Telangana. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. An ex gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi.' (ANI)
India Gazette
30-06-2025
- India Gazette
Telangana chemical factory blast:
Sangareddy (Telangana) [India], June 30 (ANI): Director General of the Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services, Y Nagi Reddy, on Monday stated that rescue officials are currently unsure of the number of people trapped under the debris following the blast at the Sigachi Pharma Company in Sangareddy. He added that, according to industrial experts, the blast occurred during the air handling and drying of Microcrystalline cellulose. 'Today, at around 9.48 am, there was a blast in the drying unit at Sigachi Pharma Company. The explosion led to a fire. A total of 12 people have died and 35 are injured in the incident,' Nagi Reddy told reporters after visiting the accident site. 'As per industrial experts, the incident happened during the air handling/drying of Microcrystalline cellulose. We are currently unsure of the number of people under the debris,' he added. Rescue operations, including those by NDRF, are currently underway. Earlier today, Telangana Ministers Venkatswamy and Damodar Raja Narasimha visited the site. Speaking to the media, Venkatswamy said that currently, 12 people are in critical condition, whose treatment is underway. 'Nearly 63 people reported for work at this factory this morning. Initially, it was said that a reactor blast had occurred in the factory. We have just visited the site, and we now know that it was not a reactor blast,' he said. 'The factory incharge also lost his life in the accident. There is no one here who can tell what exactly happened out of the 63 people who reported here in the morning. We have learned that eight people have died. Right now, four more bodies have been recovered. Twelve people are critical with burn injuries. The remaining 22 people have 20-25% burns and are receiving treatment. We will get more clarity in the next one or two hours,' he added. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sorrow over the loss of lives in the explosion and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakhs for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund. In a social media post on X, the Prime Minister's Office wrote, 'Anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire tragedy at a factory in Sangareddy, Telangana. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000.' (ANI)
The Hindu
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Wooden electrical panel blamed for Gulzar Houz fire in Hyderabad that killed 17 persons
A short circuit in the electric panel board of the Ground+2 commercial-cum-residential property caused the deadly fire which killed 17 of a family, the Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services has said. Seventeen persons, including eight children aged between one and seven, were killed after a massive fire engulfed the Modi residence in Gulzar Houz, a stone's throw away from Charminar, at around 6 a.m. on Sunday. The family was a household name, known for their strong foothold in the pearls and jewellery business in Hyderabad. A day after the mishap, the Gulzar Houz circle was heavily surrounded with police barricading the area to preserve the scene. 'We are waiting for the family to finish the last rites to conduct a panchnama. The place has to be preserved intact till then,' said an officer from the South Zone of Hyderabad. About 300 metres from the incident spot, vehicles were being stopped and asked to take a detour. A convoy of vehicles, including police patrol and disaster response force vehicles, were seen parked in the Gulzar Houz circle. On Monday morning, shops in the lanes leading to Charminar from Gulzar Houz circle remained shut to show support to the Modi family. The traders gathered at Mahadev Mandir in the locality to observe silence and offered prayers to those killed in the fire. However, for the stalls, shops and other establishments surrounding the minaret, business was as usual. Shedding light on the possible cause of fire, Director-General of Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services Department Y. Nagi Reddy said the panel of the electrical board was made of wood, which could have contributed when the short circuit occurred. 'The panel is located on the ground floor near the entrance. We corroborated this with the eyewitness and the watchman, who was sleeping on the ground floor the night before,' said the officer. While locals gathered in the area continued to stress that the trigger for the fire was voltage fluctuations due to the air conditioner's compressor unit, fire officials said that angle would also be looked into during the course of investigation. An array of political leaders have been making rounds at the incident spot, all stressing on the need for regular fire audits in shops and warehouses. Earlier in the day, BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao also visited the incident spot to offer his condolences to the grieving family. He urged traders to get fire audits done in all the shops, residentials and warehouses in the area. What is a Fire Audit? Explaining the fire audit, Mr. Nagi Reddy said that it mandates that certain establishments, including high-rise buildings, hospitals, educational institutions, and industries, undergo regular fire safety measures. 'These audits are typically conducted by third-party fire safety auditors, and their reports are necessary for obtaining or renewing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for occupancy,' said Mr. Reddy. A fire audit in Telangana is a systematic evaluation of a building's fire safety measures, ensuring compliance with the Telangana Fire Services Act, 1999, and the National Building Code of India, 2016. This audit assesses the presence and functionality of fire prevention systems, such as hydrants, sprinklers, alarms, and emergency exits, to ensure they meet the required safety standards.
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- The Hindu
Robotic fire-fighter can reach places where men cannot
As fire-fighting was in full swing at a building in Afzalgunj, a small French-made robot of high-strength aluminium was used to assist firemen. Designed to enhance safety and efficiency during fire mishaps, it is 3.7 foot tall, and can replace two fire-fighters and get close to places where the men cannot reach, said Director General of Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services Y. Nagi Reddy. These robotic fire-fighters can be remotely controlled, enabling fire crews to assess the situation and extinguish flames from a safe distance. The equipment can be operated within a 500-metre range, with real-time feedback, including controls and camera views, provided through its display screen. Built-in cooling system Mr. Nagi Reddy stated that the recently-procured robot is capable of withstanding temperatures up to 900°C, thanks to its built-in cooling system. By connecting it to a water source, the robot can be directed closer to the blaze, reaching areas that are too dangerous for humans. This effectively replaces the work of two fire personnel. It is particularly useful in tackling fires in warehouses and shops. 'Just a few days ago, there was an incident at Chandanagar, and I instructed the team to use the equipment wherever possible. We have three such units in operation, all of which are battery-powered that provide up to six hours of operation. Spare batteries are available. One unit has been allocated to each of the districts of Hyderabad, Rangareddy, and Medchal-Malkajgiri,' he added.
