At least 17 killed in India building fire
At least 17 people died after a fire ripped through a building in the Indian city of Hyderabad, local officials said Sunday.
The large blaze broke out early Sunday morning in a three-storey building which houses a jewellery store.
A statement from the fire disaster response emergency and civil defence department in southern Telangana state, where Hyderabad is located, said they had received the call for help just after 6 am local time (00:30 GMT).
"The fire broke out on the ground floor and spread to the upper floors. Firefighting, search & rescue operations were carried out simultaneously," it said.
The statement also listed the names of 17 individuals who lost their lives.
"The suspected cause of the fire is under investigation," it said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his "deep grief" over the loss of life and announced compensation of 200,000 rupees (around $2,300) to the next of kin of each victim.
"Deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire tragedy in Hyderabad, Telangana," Modi said in a statement released by his office.
"Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon."
Fires are common in India due to poor building practices, overcrowding and a lack of adherence to safety regulations.
Last month, a fierce fire broke out in a hotel in Kolkata, killing at least 15 people. Some people clambered out of windows and onto the rooftop to escape.
And last year, least 24 people died after a fire broke out at a packed amusement park arcade in the western state of Gujarat.
ash-asv/dhc
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
6 hours ago
- News.com.au
‘Hearts are hurting': Loved ones mourn ‘unfathomable' loss after body of missing woman Esme Caverly found
The loved ones of a young woman who was found dead in a NSW state forest have described her as a 'force of nature' whose 'absence is unfathomable'. Esme Caverly, 25, was reported missing in May. She was last seen at the Minyon Falls Lookout in the Whian Whian State Forest, an area she was known to frequent about 20km of Lismore. Ms Caverly's body was found days later. Police said her death was not suspicious. One of Ms Caverly's closest friends described the 25-year-old as vibrant, creative and witty and said 'many hearts are hurting' following her death. 'Esmé's recent and unexpected death has deeply affected her family, friends, colleagues and the Byron Shire Community. Her absence is unfathomable and many hearts are hurting,' her friend wrote for a fundraiser. 'Esmé was kind, gentle, inclusive and compassionate – her innate ability to connect with and comfort others was astounding. 'A young woman who moved through life with both strength and softness; she was a force of nature.' The GoFundMe was launched to raise money for Ms Caverly's funeral and for her final resting place in Byron Bay, allowing her loved ones to 'continue to be close to her'. 'The cost of a burying a loved one is significant, especially for a pensioner,' the fundraiser read.
ABC News
8 hours ago
- ABC News
People left in limbo after fire rips through Storage King facility in Burpengary, north of Brisbane
A large fire at a storage facility north of Brisbane has left many in limbo, unsure if their belongings have been spared. Emergency services were called to the Storage King complex on Old Gympie Road in Burpengary just after 6pm on Wednesday night. It took 26 crews three and a half hours to contain the blaze, and prompted police to declare an exclusion zone, with residents urged to stay inside due to heavy smoke. Irene Schynol said everything she owned was being kept at the facility after being homeless for four years. She is close to finding somewhere to live, but is now unsure whether she will have anything to fill her home with. "I found out there was a fire here last night, I was horrified," she said. "There's a lot of personal stuff in there, papers, photos of my adopted daughter who passed away, [and] family photos. An exclusion zone, which encompassed New Settlement Road, Pitt Road, Bellini Road, Twists Road, and Old Bay Road, was retracted just after 2am. Two people were assessed for smoke inhalation, with one person taken to Caboolture Hospital in a stable condition. It's unclear what started the fire, but police are not currently treating it as suspicious. Kerry Tomsen said she had "absolutely everything" in the facility, including photos of her children and other sentimental items. "I only saw [the fire] on Facebook and came down to see for myself," she said. "There's a lot of families who have got stuff in here, you know, it's everything." Ms Tomsen was told her stuff "may be okay". "I'm just hoping that it is, and I feel for everyone who has lost their stuff," she said through tears.
News.com.au
9 hours ago
- News.com.au
Factory fire at Storage King facility in Burpengary sends suburb into lockdown
A massive factory fire at a storage facility has sent a Queensland suburb into lockdown overnight and left one person hospitalised. Fire crews responded to the blaze at a Storage King warehouse on Old Gympie Road in Burpengary at about 6pm on Wednesday. A huge volume of smoke quickly engulfed the surrounding area, including the neighbouring Bruce Highway. Witness Dylan Moore told Channel 9 that he saw the huge cloud of smoke on his way home, describing the blaze as 'an explosion'. 'I was like, okay, this - crikey, this ain't good. It's on the west side of the building ... a bunch of smoke pouring out,' he said. Police made an emergency declaration just after 7pm as crews responded to the blaze, creating an exclusion zone around the area. The zone took in New Settlement Road, Pitt Road, Bellini Road, Twists Road and Old Bay Road. Members of the public were advised to avoid the area, which is about 39km north of Brisbane, while residents were told to remain indoors and close their windows. The emergency declaration was revoked just after 2am on Thursday. At least 75 firefighters from 26 crews fought the blaze, which was filmed by dozens of motorists on their commute home. A 67-year-old woman who lived nearby is reported to have been hospitalised in a stable condition due to smoke inhalation. Investigations are ongoing.
