Hyderabad: A fire that broke out at a women’s hostel near Gandhinagar in Musheerabad on Thursday afternoon triggered panic among residents, though timely action by fire personnel ensured that no one was injured.The fire occurred when most inmates had stepped out for work or college. About 10 women were inside the building at the time. As flames spread, several residents rushed out in fear, while one woman was briefly trapped inside a room. Fire personnel rescued her immediately, and she escaped unhurt.
Senior fire officer Vijay Kumar said preliminary investigation indicated that the blaze may have been caused by a short circuit after a geyser was left switched on. Firefighters rushed to the spot with three fire tenders and brought the fire under control, preventing it from spreading to neighbouring buildings.Fire officials said the quick response helped avert a major accident. They said that the consequences could have been severe had the fire occurred in the night or when more residents were inside the hostel. Authorities have initiated an investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the fire and assess the extent of property damage, which is yet to be estimated. A case has been registered. Fire in hotelIn a separate incident later in the day, a minor fire broke out at a hotel in Banjara Hills. The blaze reportedly originated in the kitchen chimney and spread to the exhaust system, which was completely gutted. Firefighters responded promptly and brought the situation under control. No injuries were reported. Preliminary estimates put the property loss at around ₹5 lakh. Police have registered a case and further investigation is underway.
