HYDERABAD, March 23: Eleven Bihari migrant workers were killed in a fire in
a scrap godown in Hyderabad in the wee hours of Wednesday. The deceased were
sleeping in a room above the godown situated in Bhoiguda locality in the city.
The bodies were charred beyond recognition, the police said. The dead belonged
to Chhapra district of Bihar.
The godown did not have fire safety arrangements. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao have announced ex gratia relief
to the victims' kin.
It took eight fire tenders 3 hours to extinguish the blaze that started a
litle before 4 am. The workers appeared to have fallen unconscious inhaling
the smoke and were charred to death when the flames engulfed their room. The
bodies have been shifted to the nearby State-run Gandhi hospital for post-mortem
examination. The bodies will be sent to their native places in Bihar. Police
said DNA tests would have to be conducted to identify the deceased, who were
aged 23-35 years.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
"Pained by the loss of lives due to a tragic fire in Bhoiguda, Hyderabad. My
thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. An ex gratia
of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of the deceased:
PM," Modi's official Twitter handle said.
