Two children were among five people who were trapped after a massive fire broke out at a furniture shop in Hyderabad’s Nampally area Saturday evening, prompting several fire tenders to be pressed into service for rescue operations.
According to Hyderabad Commissioner of Police V C Sajjanar, police and disaster response teams are engaged in rescue operations. Those trapped have been identified as Bebi, 44; Syed Habeeb, 40; Imtiaz, 26; Praneeth, 11 and his brother Akhil, 7. Praneeth and Akhil are children of the building’s security guard, sources said.
In a post on X, Police Commissioner Sajjanar posted on X: “Hyderabad police along with disaster response teams are engaged in rescue operations following a fire accident at a furniture shop at Nampally. Traffic movement in the area has been severely disrupted and visitors have been asked to postpone their visit to [the] Numaish exhibition”. Numaish is an annual exhibition fete held at Nampally.
Sixteen fire engines have been pressed into action. The first fire call was received at 5 pm, after which fire tenders were dispatched to the spot, fire safety officials told The Indian Express.
The fire is believed to have broken out in the cellar of the four-storey building. “The fire broke out in the cellar where a lot of furniture was dumped. It engulfed both the cellar spaces. We have been pumping water from top to douse the flames,” a senior police officer in charge of rescue operations told The Indian Express.
The National Disaster Response Force has been called in, apart from the State Disaster Response Force. Along with hydraulic platforms, fire tenders have also used robotic devices to assist in the rescue. “We have sent in a robotic viewfinder to look for people inside. So far we have not got any results,” the rescue officer said.
Dispelling rumours about the building being an illegal construction, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Commissioner R V Karnan told The Indian Express that the building had approval from the civic body and had also obtained a fire no-objection certificate (NOC).
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Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi posted on X: “The Nampally dire incident is deeply concerning. I have been in touch with officials on the ground and have also instructed AIMIM MLC rahmath Baig to assist in any way possible. Praying for the safety of all those trapped inside”.
Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice.
Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India.
Expertise & Focus Areas
Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include:
Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India.
Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism.
Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities.
National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting.
Authoritativeness & Trust
A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society.
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