Property, mostly books and furniture, worth nearly Rs. 2 crore went up in flames after a fire broke out in the office-cum-godown of a book publisher and distributor at Boggulakunta in Abids on Wednesday.
Over 50 firemen had to sweat out for nearly eight hours to control the blaze that set off on the third floor of the four-floor building located on Tilaknagar Road. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, but short-circuit is believed to have triggered the fire, Abids ACP P. Jaipal said.
At around 8 a.m., building watchman Pentaiah noticed a thick smoke emanating from the third floor. He rushed to the main door but couldn’t go up, as the smoke spread fast.
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He called up the police and the fire services personnel. Nine fire-tenders were pressed into service to douse the raging fire. The building was being used by Universal Publishers as office-cum-godown. “We suspect short-circuit had ignited the fire. Since the building was used to store books and others floors were filled with furniture made of inflammable material, fire spread quickly,” the ACP pointed out.
As it became difficult to douse the blaze, the fire officials rushed two fire-tenders with hydraulic escalators.
Thankfully, there were no people inside the building at the time of the fire. Mayor Majid Hussain and GHMC Commissioner M.T. Krishna Babu visited the building and inquired with the officials on the fire accident.
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