About 13 to 15 families which resided in the lane adjacent to the six-storey, fire-hit building in Ramgopalpet are cooped up in makeshift tents after vacating their homes over fears that the gutted structure would collapse.
On January 19, the day of the fire, the families were asked by officials to move out for 10 days as a thick blanket of acrid smoke hung heavy in their colony.
“The officials gave us accommodation at a function hall near Paradise in Secunderabad, but we did not shift there because our valuables, including important documents, are in our homes. If at any time the building collapses, we have to be ready to rush back and get our belongings. That is why we have pitched temporary tents within the colony and residing here. We have sent the younger children to the homes of relatives or friends so that they do not have to suffer,” says a local resident who was asked to move out of their home.
The families, especially the women, are having a hard time staying in the tent, especially when they use the washroom.
Meanwhile, smoke continues to flow out of the building, making the colony inmates jittery. Disaster Response Force officials stationed at the spot said that in the cellar, there still is some piles of wood through which smoke is emerging. Fire brigade officers had arrived at the spot and started spraying water to extinguish the smoke.
A total of 36 DRF personnel have been present at the site to assist the police and fire officials. The police have barricaded the main road in front of the building, as a result of which the other side of the narrow road is seeing two-way traffic, creating chaos for commuters especially during evening hours.
Businesses hit
Businesses operating in the lane have also been affected due to the fire. While many shops located right beside the building have been shut since that fateful day, those opening their shutters have had no luck with sales.
“More than 90% of our sales has been hit due to the road closure. We are opening the shop just for the sake of it,” says the owner of Bharath Chicken Centre, located a few hundred metres from the charred building.
However, automobile repair and decor shops on the opposite side of the road are doing business as usual.
Ravi Kumar, owner of Sathyavarapu Hardware, which is adjacent to the burnt building, says, “My shop has been closed since the day of the fire. When we ask police officials when we can open for business, they say the fire officials will take a decision. When we approach the fire department, they say it is the job of GHMC to decide. Nobody is giving us a proper answer. Another six to seven shops are closed and incurring huge losses due to that. We will wait for 1-2 days and approach the officials jointly for a definite answer.”
