Policemen and local residents save several lives in Secunderabad hotel fire tragedy

Policemen and good Samaritans saved several lives in the fire tragedy at a hotel at Secunderabad here on Monday night in which eight people were killed.

Rakesh, a constable with the Market police station, who was on patrolling duty in the area, was one of the first to arrive at the spot when the fire broke out Monday night.

Braving severe heat and thick smoke, he managed to save the lives of as many as four persons from the four-storey building.

He told PTI that he asked some of those stuck at the scene to come to an adjacent building which is connected to the ill-fated hotel.

The smoke was so thick that people were hardly visible, he said.

A few local residents at the hotel too pushed themselves into the rescue operation covering their nose with blankets and helping the victims to come out safely.

One of them reportedly used a National Flag which he found there, to cover his nose.

They told mediapersons that they went inside the building and broke windows to facilitate air flow.

They also helped in shifting the victims to hospitals in ambulances.

The tragedy was such that some of those staying in the hotel climbed down from the windows using pipes, while some were rescued by rescue personnel.

State Home Minister Mohd Mahmood Ali visited the hotel along with police officials, an official release said.

The deceased includes three persons from Delhi, two from Odisha, two from Chennai and one person from Vijayawada, it said.

Expressing anguish over the incident, the Home Minister said advanced medical care would be provided to those injured.

Investigation by police and fire officials has begun into the accident, he said, adding that action would be taken as per law against those responsible for it, including violators of rules.

Eight people, including a woman staying in the hotel, were killed in the fire that reportedly originated from an electric bike showroom in Secunderabad here.

Nine others were injured and rushed to various hospitals, police said. Most of the victims were asphyxiated. However, police said the exact cause of death would be known only after post mortem.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)