Hyderabad: A major fire broke out in a room storing different seized items at the Telangana Forensic Science Laboratory (TGFSL) at Nampally on Saturday, damaging computer systems, officials said.No casualties were reported, though an office staff member, who first noticed the fire, suffered minor injuries while attempting to extinguish the flames. The fire was reported around 10.20 am.“A complainant has lodged with local police. The damage caused by the incident is being assessed. However, most of the case property and FSL material is intact. Fire has resulted in some damage to computer forensic lab, the training hall and certain other facilities on the 1st floor,” FSL director Shikha Goel said in a release.According to Khairatabad zone police, the blaze is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit in an MCB (miniature circuit breaker) switch box located in a computer room on the first floor of the G+2 FSL building.Khairatabad zone DCP K Shilpavalli said the fire broke out on the first floor, which houses computers and equipment used for crime investigation and evidence management. She said it was not yet clear whether crucial files or digital data had been damaged.Police sources told TOI that seized material stored on the first floor belonged to two categories — evidence from pending cases where forensic examination is yet to be conducted, and material from cases where FSL reports were ready but had not yet been collected by investigating officers.“What is the extent of damage? The burnt material is related to which specific cases? For these questions, right now we do not have any information. Police are yet to go inside to check the status of the material, considering that the place is completely wet and there is no power,” the sources said.Forensic staff, along with police teams, are expected to begin an assessment either late Saturday night or on Sunday morning to identify damaged and salvageable material.Fire officials said the fire originated in the computer room. Hyderabad district fire officer-2 Ajmeera Sreedas said: “A short circuit is suspected, though the exact cause is yet to be confirmed.”He said the fire was prevented from spreading to the second floor, where chemicals are stored, averting a major accident. A fire accident case has been registered and an investigation is underway. “The extent of the damage and its value are yet to be assessed,” Sreedas said.Around 40 fire personnel, five fire tenders and a firefighting robot were deployed. The fire was brought fully under control by around 1.30 pm. Fire crew from Abids, Assembly, Secretariat, Gandhi Outpost, Secunderabad and Langar Houz stations were involved in the operation.Officials said three to four staff members were present in the building at the time, as it was a working day. They came out immediately after hearing the fire alarm.KTR raises suspicionHours later, the incident triggered political reactions. BRS working president KT Rama Rao raised suspicion over whether voice recordings linked to the ‘vote-for-note’ case may have been erased.Responding on X to a post by BRS leader Krishank, KTR said: “I am guessing the voice recordings of the famous “vote for note” case, and trying to cover up for lack of evidence in cooked up political cases like Phone Tapping.” Krishank in his post on X said, “Entire Forensic Lab burning. What evidence are you erasing @revanth_anumula?”However, police sources dismissed the claim, saying FSL reports related to the vote-for-note case had been submitted to the authorities concerned long ago.
