Short-circuit cause for fire; govt to give Rs 5L ex-gratia

Hyderabad: Osmania Hospital enveloped in pall of gloom as all the 17 bodies were shifted to the hospital and the relatives, close ones were seen inconsolable at the hospital mortuary.

Three State Ministers including the Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu, Health Minister C Damodar Raja Narsimha and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar rushed to the hospital and took stock of the situation and consoled the family members. The Ministers said that short circuit was the reason for fire as per preliminary information. Talking to reporters at the hospital, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka said it was a painful and unfortunate accident. He said that immediately after the incident, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and State cabinet expressed grief. Such incidents happened in the past and the government had taken a serious view of this and reviewed the department on several occasions. The government announced an exgratia of Rs five lakh to each one of the dead in the incident.

The Deputy CM said that the Chief Minister talked to the ministers and concerned officials including the commissioner of police and gave instructions on steps to be taken and also constantly monitored the situation. He informed that Incharge Minister Ponnam Prabhakar came to the spot and coordinated with the officials. He informed that the Fire Department got information at 6:16 am, within a minute, the Moghapura fire station was on alert and by 6:20 am the vehicle reached the spot. He also informed that 11 fire engines and one robot were used to put off the fire and control it, avoiding spreading to other buildings. He said that one DFO was also hospitalised due to breathlessness because of smoke.

Minister Raja Narsimha consoled the family members as they were in pain after losing 17 members. He assured the family members that the government would be with them during this difficult time. The Minister had directed the Osmania Hospital authorities to be ready with plastic surgeons, senior doctors and special teams and asked them to provide better treatment to the injured.

He also directed the hospital authorities to complete the post-mortem process quickly and hand over the bodies to the relatives without causing inconvenience to them.