A fire broke-out in the ‘A1 Air-Coolers’, a small scale unit made of iron-sheets, that manufactures air-cooler at Attapur under Rajendranagar police limits in Hyderabad in the early hours of Wednesday. The incident happened at around 5 AM when the workers, all from Odisha, were sleeping in the shed. At least six people were burnt alive.

Rajendranagar assistant commissioner of police Gangi Reddy said that the preliminary investigations revealed that the fire broke out due to short-circuit in the air-cooler. The fire engulfed the entire area before the workers could have escaped. Police suspect that the workers had bolted the door from inside, which could have restricted their exit. The neighbours alerted the police, who had called four fire tenders to bring the fire under control.

The correct number of workers who were inside the unit is not known. Four of the deceased were identified as Irphan, Saddam, Sharukh and Ayub Khan. The bodies of the others are not identified yet. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation authorities are clearing the debris to search to ascertain any more bodies under the rubble.

Reddy said that owner of the air-cooler manufacturing unit Pramod Kumar is taken into custody and an investigation was on.

By Premji