Hyderabad fire that killed 17 likely caused by inverter short circuit, say investigators
HYDERABAD: The fire that killed 17 members of a family that owns a jewellery business in Gulzar Houz could have been prevented if basic electrical safety protocols had been followed, investigators believe.
Experts who assessed the site on Wednesday pointed to an electrical short circuit in the inverter circuit of the Krishna Pearls shop as the probable cause of the blaze.
Mahipal Reddy, Fire Engineer from Hyderabad and Nilesh Ukunde, Chief Investigator, Forensic Fire and Cyber Investigators, Nagpur, visited the premises to conduct a detailed inquiry. Their final report is expected to be submitted to the Fire department DG within two days. Preliminary findings suggest that although the regular power supply had been turned off, a routine practice, the inverter circuit remained active. The fire reportedly began in an LED display unit connected to this circuit, then spread rapidly through the shop.
Fire department DG Y Nagi Reddy said that the fire originated in the Krishna Pearls outlet and engulfed the entire floor. An air conditioning unit in the same room is believed to have caught fire or malfunctioned, contributing to its rapid spread. Combustible materials such as plywood furnishings, chairs and other items added to the intensity of the blaze.
At the time of the incident, 23 persons were present in the building—19 family members and four workers. The fire was first noticed at approximately 5 am by a worker, who alerted the rest of the occupants. While all family members were on the first floor, three workers attempted to extinguish the fire on the ground floor using buckets of water, as instructed by the family.
This continued for about 40 minutes before the situation worsened.
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