Hyderabad, Nov 25 — A devastating fire broke out in an electronics shop in the Shahalibanda area of Hyderabad’s old city on Monday night, leaving one person dead and five others injured, police said on Tuesday. The blaze, which began due to a suspected short circuit, intensified rapidly after a CNG cylinder in a car parked outside the shop exploded.
An unidentified man, believed to be around 50–55 years old, sustained critical burn injuries near the shop and was rushed to Osmania General Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Police have issued a lookout notice to identify the deceased, with preliminary observations suggesting he may have been Muslim, according to Moghalpura Police Station SHO C. Srinu.
Shivakumar Bansal, the owner of the electronics shop, was among those injured and is undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospital. In his statement to the police, Bansal recalled that he was at the counter around 10 p.m. when he heard a loud blast from inside the showroom. Moments later, two more explosions followed, causing flames to engulf the shop. He fell during the chaos and sustained burn injuries.
The fire quickly spread to the adjoining warehouse and nearby shops, completely gutting a cloth store and damaging other commercial units. The impact of the explosions shattered window panes of surrounding houses. Authorities suspect that the presence of refrigerator cylinders, geysers, and other electronic goods inside the shop further fuelled the fire.
A massive firefighting operation ensued, involving eight fire engines, a skylift fire truck, and a firefighting robot. It took more than two hours to bring the flames under control.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South Zone) Khare Kiran Prabhakar confirmed the short circuit as the cause of the initial fire and urged citizens not to believe or circulate unverified information on social media. He emphasized relying only on official updates to avoid panic.
Six injured individuals remain hospitalized as investigations continue.
