Hyderabad, May 21 (IANS) A huge fire broke out at a commercial complex near historic Charminar in Hyderabad on Thursday. No casualties were reported.

The incident occurred in a garment shop and spread to adjoining shops on the first floor of SYJ Complex at Pathergatti near the busy Madina Crossroads.

Eight fire engines rushed to the spot to extinguish the fire. Personnel from five different fire stations were mobilised to control the blaze.

Fire services personnel and police brought the fire under control after strenuous efforts for two hours.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Charminar Zone) Kiran Khare and other senior officials supervised the firefighting operation, which prevented the blaze from spreading to other shops.

Three shops were gutted in the fire. Casualties were averted as the fire broke out before the shops opened for the day. The complex has several shops, banks and diagnostic centres.

The cause of the fire was not known. Police said they were investigating.

The incident occurred a year after a devastating fire in the same area claimed the lives of 17 members of a pearl trader’s family.

Meanwhile, five shops were gutted in a fire in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district late on Wednesday night.

The fire broke out around midnight near Anjaneyaswamy temple in Maddimadugu in Padara mandal. Police said the fire was caused by a short circuit. Five shops, a motorbike and other property were gutted in the blaze.

In another incident, a huge fire erupted on the outskirts of Guntur in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on Thursday.

The incident occurred at Teachers’ Colony near Inner Ring Road. According to police, pipelines used for underground drainage works caught fire in the morning.

Massive flames and dense smoke triggered panic among people in the area. Fire services personnel and police rushed to the spot and were trying to douse the fire.

According to locals, the pipelines were lying there for a long time due to a court case relating to underground drainage works. A heap of garbage had piled up close to the pipelines.

–IANS

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