No fire-safety norms, Swapnalok Complex to be seized: Thalasani Srinivas Yadav

HYDERABAD: The Swapnalok Complex, one of the oldest and popular shopping destinations in the Secunderabad area, will be seized in a day or two as it failed to follow fire safety norms, Telangana Minister for Animal Husbandry Thalasani Srinivas Yadav said on Friday. Six persons, including four women, were killed in a massive fire that gutted the nearly three-decade-old shopping complex on Thursday night.

Thalasani Srinivas Yadav, along with Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali, visited Gandhi Hospital and consoled the family members of the deceased.

Speaking to the media on this occasion, the Minister described the fire accident as the most painful incident. He said that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) had announced the ex-gratia to the bereaved families and also all possible succour to them in this hour of distress.

“The untimely death of young people, who had a great future ahead of them, is shocking. We will seize the Swapnalok Complex today or tomorrow. A crackdown will also be initiated against owners and organisers of buildings and godowns across the city if they were found to be not following the fire-safety regulations,” he said.

The Minister also asked the authorities to make all the arrangements for the shifting of the bodies to their respective native places after the post-mortem examination.

While stating that a detailed inquiry and investigation was going on by the fire services department and the police, he said that it was prima facie found that the fire-safety norms were not being adhered to in the shopping complex. Treating this as a case of gross negligence, the building will be seized either Friday or Saturday, Thalasani said. He also asserted that all those who were responsible for the fire mishap would not be spared.

The Minister also promised to take action against the private e-commerce company operating from the building over allegations of fraudulent practices and cheating job aspirants. Unconfirmed reports claimed that the six persons, including four women, who were killed in the fire mishap, worked with the same e-commerce firm that had been operating from its fifth-floor office of Swapnalok Complex.

Hyderabad Deputy Mayor Mothe Srilatha Shoban Reddy said that, to prevent recurrence of massive fire mishaps, the rules of fire-safety norms would be thoroughly revamped.

Meanwhile, heart-rending scenes were being witnessed at the Gandhi Hospital where the families of the deceased have been spending excruciating hours to receive the bodies of their dear ones after formalities. Shattered by the deaths, they were weeping inconsolably even as the authorities began the process of formally identifying the dead before conducting the mandatory post-mortem examination. The bodies are likely to be handed over to the families some time in the afternoon.