Fire mishaps in four districts cause extensive damage

With the mercury level rising above normal temperature throughout the State, fire accidents were reported from four districts reducing property worth several lakhs of rupees to ashes. Fortunately, there was no loss of life in all these accidents. These may be warning signals about more such accidents during summer

100 rescued in Vizag mishapA

Commercial complex A engulfed by thick, black smoke

Visakhapatnam: With the timely response from the alert city police and fire brigade personnel, over 100 persons were safely rescued from the thick smoke that engulfed the entire four-storied Sai Shopping Complex located near RTC Complex, Dwarakanagar following a fire mishap occurred on Monday, the second day after the launch of National Fire Service Week.

Tension prevailed in the entire area when the fire broke out in the 'Logos Offset-Aswani Digitals' shop in the first floor corner of the complex. Workers and staff including women belong to various shops and offices who had already entered the complex could not come out due to the thick smoke that engulfed the entire area.

The mishap came to light only when a worker Santhosh raised an alarm from the fourth floor window and the nearby people immediately alerted the police. Fire brigade immediately reached the spot with four fire tenders from the city, Port Trust and Marripalem besides a big fire tender with a crane facility - 'Bronto Skylift'. The police cordoned off the entire area.

Meanwhile some of the workers from windows waved hands pleading for ohelp. Some others even attempted to jump from the building. Police officials asked them not to do such things and told them that all of them would be rescued.

Police officials including ACP S Venkata Rao, CI Appala Raju and SI B B S Ganesh had a tough time in pacifying the panic-stricken people from not taking any hasty decision. In a span of 20 minutes, the fire brigade had successfully rescued all people through windows using Bronto Skylift, ladders and ropes.

Andhra Bank branch, Sivarama Sweets shop, GIC Housing Finance, OTIS Elevators, Ponduru Khadi Bhandar, Optical, fancy and gold jewellery shops were housed in the entire complex and most of the shops were not opened at that time.

The fire intensity would have been severe if it occurred after the opening of shops and establishments. The scheduled power cut between 10 am and 12 noon also helped a lot.A District Fire Officer Ch Krupavaram, Fire Officer Sanjeeva Rao, staff P Janardhana Naidu, B Satyanarayana, P Ramu and others had striven hard in saving people and in putting out flames and smoke.

The ACP Venkata Rao said they along with the fire brigade, have rescued over 100 people trapped in the smoke safely and they could not assess the loss of property right now. The fire broke out probably due to short circuit, he said and added that the furniture and other stationery material in the Offset printing shop had been reduced to ashes.

Narrow escape for 42 kids, school bus gutted

Undrajavaram (West Godavari): About 42 children, travelling in a school bus belonging to Sasi Educational Institutions at Velivennu village of Undrajavaram mandal in West Godavari district, narrowly escaped on Monday when flames caused by suspected electric short-circuit engulfed the bus. The schoolchildren broke open the windowpanes and jumped off the bus to safety.

Though all the kids managed to escape from the fire, some of them sustained minor injuries. As the students run for their lives, their schoolbags with books were reduced to ashes in the fire. The incident sent shockwaves among students of private educational institutions who travel by about 3,000 buses all over the district.

The parents of the students are worried over the fate of their kids. They wonder how the transport authorities permit the private educational institutions in general and corporate schools in particular to use the condemned buses jeopardizing the safety of their kids. As many as 13 school buses were involved in different accidents during the present academic year so far.

The parents have charged the school managements with gross violation of rules in maintaining the buses. Several people's organizations have also joined the parents to condemn the attitude of the school managements in playing with the lives of the kids. The organizations alleged that a majority of the schools had been purchasing the buses at throwaway price.

150 files reduced to ashes in Rayalaseema varsity

Kurnool: About 150 files relating to important issues were gutted in a fire accident in the registrar's office of Rayalaseema University here on Monday. The watchman who noticed smoke emanating from the Registrar's office informed the matter to the officials. The officials, who doused the fire, reported the incident to the taluk police. V-C Krishna Naik said that the files lost in the fire are not important files.

Referring to the doubts over the fire accident whether it was handiwork of some persons or due to short circuit, he said that action would be taken after the police concluded the investigation. University electrician Ramesh said that it certainly was not due to short circuit.

Mattress factory in flames

Vizianagaram: Mattresses worth Rs. One crore were gutted in a fire mishap in a mattresses factory at Gollapet village of Pusapatirega mandal on Monday. Short circuit was said to be cause behind the fire accident.

The 108 staff who were travelling on the national highway noticed the flames from the factory and informed the fire services personnel at Vizianagaram. The Fire personnel brought the fire under control. There was no loss of life as there was nobody in the factory at that time. Pusapatirega police registered the case and investigating.