Hyderabad: Twentysix-year-old Kamineni Sai Srikar from Nizamabad, who was critically injured in a devastating fire accident in Croydon, South London, on Feb 23, was declared brain-dead on Feb 26. He was pursuing his MS course. Srikar’s friends informed his parents about his condition and subsequent death, after which hospital authorities officially confirmed the news. He was the only son of Anjaneya Prasad, a contract employee in the electricity department, and Renuka, a govt school teacher. He is survived by his two elder sisters. In an extraordinary gesture amid their grief, Srikar’s parents consented to donate his organs. They have appealed to authorities to expedite the repatriation of his mortal remains to India. Family members said that upon learning of the incident, Union minister of state for home Bandi Sanjay spoke to them and assured all necessary assistance. “Today (Feb 27), we got communication from the hospital that his organs were harvested for donation. Our only request to the authorities in London and the Telangana and Indian govt is to send his mortal remains home at the earliest,” the inconsolable parents told TOI over the phone.Srikar had completed his engineering in Hyderabad before moving to London in 2024 to pursue the MS degree. He was sharing accommodation with two other students. During the fire, one of his friends, G Abhishek from Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, was pronounced dead at the scene. Another occupant managed to escape the building but suffered smoke inhalation and was hospitalised. The fatal blaze engulfed the two-storey house on Duppas Hill Terrace, adjacent to Croydon flyover. According to the London fire brigade, flames tore through both the ground and first floors of the structure. Around 40 firefighters and six fire engines from Croydon, Wallington, Woodside and nearby stations fought the blaze.The London fire brigade and the metropolitan police have launched a joint investigation to determine the cause of the fire.
