Hyderabad: A major fire that raged for nearly nine hours gutted at least 22 makeshift furniture shops at Pragathi Nagar along the Bachupally–Miyapur road late on Tuesday. However, no casualties were reported, officials confirmed.According to fire department officials, a distress call was received around 11 pm, following which six fire tenders were pressed into service. Five teams from the Disaster Response Force of HYDRAA also rushed to the spot to assist in the operation.Preliminary investigations suggest that the blaze was triggered by a short circuit. “A loose wire from an overhead electrical transformer is suspected to have fallen on one of the shops. The fire quickly spread to adjacent furniture units as the structures were temporary and stocked with highly combustible materials such as wood and foam,” said Kukatpally station house officer T Jagan Mohan.As the incident occurred late at night, no workers or shop owners were present inside the units, averting what could have been a major tragedy. Officials estimated the losses at around Rs 50 lakh, though traders claim the damage could be higher.A total of 36 firefighters battled the flames for several hours before bringing the fire under control and preventing it from spreading to nearby residential and commercial buildings. Fire tenders from Kukatpally, Jeedimetla, and other nearby stations were deployed as a precautionary measure.Later in the day, HYDRAA commissioner AV Ranganath visited the affected stretch on the Bachupally main road and said that compensation-related issues would be examined by the revenue department, which would assess the losses and initiate further action.Ranganath cautioned that fire risks increase significantly during the summer due to higher electricity consumption and excessive load on transformers and electrical panels. Commercial establishments dealing with flammable materials, particularly wood and furniture, are especially vulnerable, he added. Ranganath urged traders and property owners to regularly inspect electrical wiring and take preventive safety measures to avoid similar incidents in the future.
