Hyderabad : In the aftermath of the November 13 fire tragedy in a Hyderabad apartment complex, the death toll has now reached 10. The police have taken swift action by arresting the building owner, Ramesh Kumar Jaiswal, nearly a week after the devastating incident unfolded at Balaji Residency in Bazarghat. The victims include families residing in rented flats within the four-storey building.
The catastrophe was triggered by a fire in chemical drums stored in the stilt floor of the structure. The police have charged Jaiswal under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including culpable homicide not amounting to murder (IPC section 304 (II)), negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter (IPC section 285), negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance (IPC section 286), and section 9B (1) (b) of the Explosives Act.
According to the police, a complaint filed by resident Mohd. Ahmed revealed the sequence of events leading to the tragedy. Ahmed reported hearing screams and witnessing a car in front of Balaji Residency catch fire around 9:20 AM. The ensuing explosion of resin drums created thick smoke, hindering the escape of residents on the upper floors. The Fire Brigade responded promptly, but tragically, nine individuals on the second and third floors succumbed to burns and suffocation.
The death toll rose to 10 on Saturday with the demise of 17-year-old student Talha Nasar. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone) M. Venkateshwarlu revealed that the accused, Jaiswal, engaged in wholesale and retail business involving the purchase and distribution of resin. Despite repeated warnings from residents, Jaiswal continued to store flammable resin drums illegally on the stilt floor, using it as a makeshift warehouse.
The investigation uncovered that on November 11, Jaiswal received 32 cans of 35 kg each containing resin, which were stored in the stilt floor. The massive fire erupted on November 13, originating from the south side where Jaiswal had stored the resin cans. The police seized 30 drums and 88 cans of resin chemical during the investigation, sending samples to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for examination. Additionally, two DVRs from the building were confiscated and sent to the FSL for data retrieval.
