Hyderabad: Nearly a dozen people were rescued after a fire broke out in the cellar of a G+6 building on Road No. 11 in Banjara Hills, opposite CARE Hospital, in the early hours of Saturday. Officials said there were no injuries or casualties.The fire department received the alert at around 6.30 am, following which fire personnel and HYDRAA teams rushed to the spot. The cellar housed a liquor shop godown and a parking area. Most of those rescued were residents of the building, which also houses a media channel office and a restaurant.“Prima facie, the fire appears to have been caused by a short circuit, but the exact cause is still being investigated. There were around 100 liquor bottles, about half of which were filled, besides scrap material. Around seven to eight two-wheelers were parked in the cellar, including two electric vehicles that were completely damaged. The alcohol may have helped the fire spread,” said district fire officer (DFO) T Venkanna.He added that thick smoke had filled the cellar, making it difficult for firefighters to locate the source of the blaze. They used breathing apparatus to enter the cellar, while smoke exhausters were deployed to clear the fumes.“Two electric bikes and a four-wheeler parked in the cellar were damaged, besides other stored material. The extent of the property damage is yet to be assessed,” said the DFO.Six fire tenders and 50 firefighters were deployed during the operation, which continued for nearly six hours.
