A Furniture Store, a Sealed Basement and Five Lost Lives: How a Nampally Fire Became a Preventable Tragedy
Hyderabad, India — A devastating blaze at a furniture shop in the historic Nampally area of Hyderabad has claimed the lives of five people, including two children, in one of the city’s most tragic recent fire incidents. The fire broke out on Saturday afternoon in a four-storey building housing a furniture showroom, triggering an intensive rescue operation that lasted over 20 hours, with firefighters and emergency teams racing against time to save those trapped inside.
Fire Erupts in Busy Nampally Commercial Building
The fire erupted around early Saturday afternoon at Batcha Furniture Castle, a multi-storey showroom on Nampally Station Road—a busy commercial thoroughfare in Hyderabad. Thick, choking smoke quickly billowed from the structure, visible for blocks, prompting the swift deployment of multiple firefighting and rescue units, including the Telangana Fire and Disaster Response Department, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, and the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA).
Fire crews worked for hours to bring the blaze under control, but the dense smoke, intense heat, and large amounts of combustible materials—such as foam, wood, raw materials, plastics, and chemicals stored inside the building—made interior access extremely hazardous.
Efforts to Rescue and Tragic Discoveries
Initially, authorities feared that five people were trapped in the basement of the building, where accommodation had been provided for a security guard’s family and other workers despite the space being designated only for parking. These individuals included two children (aged 7 and 11), members of the guard’s family, and two adult workers who reportedly entered the chaos in an attempt to help others.
Rescue operations extended late into Saturday night and the following morning, but the combination of smoke inhalation, blocked exits, and fire intensity meant firefighters could not reach the trapped victims in time. On Sunday, authorities confirmed that all five people had died. Their bodies were found in different locations within the cellar and shifted to Osmania General Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
Among the deceased were siblings Praneeth Kumar (11) and Akhil (7), showroom employees Mohammed Imtiyaz (26) and Syed Habeeb (31), and Bebi (44), a watchwoman who lived in the cellar with her children. Most victims are believed to have succumbed to asphyxiation from smoke inhalation, while some showed signs of severe burns.
Safety Violations and Legal Action
Preliminary investigations suggest that the building’s basements were illegally used for storage of furniture, flammable materials, and chemicals, violating essential fire safety regulations. Officials allege that the absence of clearances from the Fire Department, blocked exit routes, and unauthorized accommodation in these areas contributed to the tragedy.
Following the recovery of the bodies, police arrested the building owner, Satish Batcha, and registered a criminal case against him for negligence and failure to maintain fire safety standards. Authorities have also brought in fire safety experts to investigate the exact cause of ignition, with possibilities under review including a short circuit or spontaneous combustion of flammable materials.
Community Impact and Government Response
The fire has left families and the local community in deep mourning. Relatives and neighbours gathered outside the cordoned-off site and at the hospital, grieving the loss of their loved ones and calling for accountability and better safety enforcement in commercial buildings.
Traffic disruptions and smoke also affected nearby areas, prompting police to divert vehicles and advise residents to avoid the Nampally vicinity until operations were fully completed.
In response, the Telangana government announced ex gratia payments for the victims’ families and pledged support for rehabilitation and compensation efforts. Officials said they would expedite aid and reassess fire safety compliance across other similar structures.
Calls for Broader Fire Safety Reforms
The Nampally fire has reignited debates over fire safety and regulatory oversight in Hyderabad. A complaint has been filed with the Telangana State Human Rights Commission (TSHRC), urging an investigation into alleged lapses by city agencies in enforcing safety norms and preventing unauthorized usage of building space—especially in densely populated and commercial districts.
This tragedy follows previous deadly fires in illegal or poorly regulated spaces in the area, highlighting systemic weaknesses in inspection, clearance processes, and emergency preparedness. Critics are calling for improved building code enforcement, regular safety audits, and stricter penalties for non-compliance to prevent future loss of life.
Conclusion
The fire at the Nampally furniture shop stands as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by inadequate fire safety measures and the unauthorized use of building spaces. As Hyderabad mourns the loss of five lives—including two young children and a mother—officials and citizens alike are pressing for stronger safety standards and accountability to ensure such tragedies are not repeated in India’s rapidly urbanising cities.
