Hyderabad apartment building fire: Death toll surges to 9
Hyderabad (PTI): Nine people, including four women, died of alleged asphyxiation in a major fire in a five-storey residential building in Nampally area here on Monday.
According to police, the blaze erupted on the ground floor of the apartment complex, where some drums containing chemicals were stored and later spread to the first and second floor.
They said they received a call regarding the accident at around 9.35 am.
Meanwhile, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao expressed grief over the deaths.
So far 21 people were rescued from the building. Among them, 10 people were found unconscious after inhaling smoke and they were shifted to a hospital. Nine among them died, officials said.
The deceased were in the age group of six and 66, they said.
TV visuals showed fire personnel evacuating people, including children, through windows of the building.
Fire tenders rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone) M Venkateshwarlu said the fire spread rapidly and police and fire personnel evacuated the families from the building.
Tamilisai Soundararajan directed the Chief Secretary to take immediate measures to provide comprehensive medical assistance to those who sustained injuries in the incident and also issued directives to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, a Press Communique from Raj Bhavan said.
The Governor further directed to furnish a comprehensive report on the circumstances leading to the fire, the response mechanisms in place, and the corrective measures that can be implemented within the next two days, it said.
The Chief Minister announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the each deceased.
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy and Telangana Minister K T Rama Rao also visited the place.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Several Gurugram schools receive hoax bomb threats
Gurugram (PTI): Several Gurugram schools received another hoax bomb threat emails on Wednesday morning, prompting police to launch searches on the premises.
Police said the email was sent by the 'Khalistan National Army', with threats issued to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini to declare April 29 as the "40th Khalistan Declaration Day". It also threatened to bomb the Red Fort in Delhi.
Police said it was a hoax as no suspicious items were found after an intensive search.
Several schools, including Shri Ram, Amity, and the HDFC school, received threatening emails at 8.33 am, when classes had already begun, police said.
The school administrations became aware of the threats around 9 am and immediately informed the police, a senior police officer said.
The schools immediately implemented emergency protocols, with many declaring a holiday and asking parents to take their children home safely, the officer said.
A large number of anxious parents gathered outside the schools, as police and bomb squad teams reached the spots and started checks.
"Around 10 schools have approached the police from morning until now over bomb threats. Police teams are alert, and searches are underway on all the premises", the officer said.
As soon as the information about this email was received, police in Gurugram and Delhi swung into action and started investigation.
Schools immediately implemented emergency protocols upon receiving the mail. Many schools declared a holiday and sent messages to parents, asking them to take their children home. Large crowds of parents gathered outside the schools.
The schools were sanitised by sending a bomb disposal squad as well as a dog squad.
A senior police officer said that police teams thoroughly searched the school premises, classrooms, buildings, and surrounding areas. No suspicious objects or explosive materials were found during the investigation.
"Police teams are seriously investigating the entire matter. Cyber experts are being consulted to determine the authenticity of the email, its source, and the identity of the sender", added the officer.
This is the third time since January that schools have received fake bomb threats.
In March, at least a dozen schools in the city received bomb threat emails, which later turned out to be hoaxes.
Similarly, on January 28, as many as 13 schools received hoax bomb threats via email, forcing authorities to evacuate campuses and suspend classes.
Last month, police arrested a Bangladeshi national whose email ID was allegedly used to make a bomb threat for some payment.
