Hyderabad: Babus begin razing of godown after big blaze

Highlights:

♦    Officials of different departments working in tandem to bring down the burnt structure

♦    Several plastic godowns are close to the burnt building

♦    Demolition process may end today

Hyderabad: After 11 workers were burnt alive in a massive fire at a timber godown at New Bhoiguda in Secunderabad early Wednesday morning, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is taking down the building, parts of which are still smoldering. The demolition of the complete godown with 3 JCBs has started on late Wednesday evening as the nearby plastic godowns were at risk of fire.

According to officials, the GHMC personnel along with equipment have started the demolition of the burnt building and policemen have been deployed at the premises to prevent people coming close to the building.

"The demolition requires a lot of strategy. With tonnes of scrap material present in the structure, demolition crews, firefighters and teams of Directorate of Enforcement Vigilance and Disaster Management are working in tandem to bring down the compromised building," said official from Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services Department.

The officials further said that the godown is located about 200 metres away from the main road and is divided into two parts – a shed and a room with a first floor, where accommodation for the workers is provided which was completely burnt. The shed had material such as cables, wooden scrap, iron scrap, card boxes, these things caught fire first and fire spread to the first floor killing the workers.

The only entry or exit for the workers was a narrow spiral staircase which is also burnt and can fall anytime. To prevent the falling of shade and the building the demolition has been taken up, said officials.The authorities took this step of demolishing the godown as the premises is close to several other plastic godowns and there may be a risk of fire. The process of demolition is slow and may end by Thursday. Several top officials from GHMC also visited the fire incident place.