A worker was trapped and charred to death in a massive fire that broke out at a hotel in Malakpet on Friday evening. The victim is suspected to have died of suffocation in the fire.
According to the police, the fire broke out in the kitchen of Sohail Hotel when at least five workers and 15 customers were present inside. On noticing the fire and smoke, others rushed out of the premises in haste, while Mohd.Shahabuddin (33), is suspected to have been trapped inside and fell unconscious and died of suffocation.
Two fire tenders from Malakpet and Gowliguda fire stations were rushed to the spot to douse the flames which gutted the ground floor.
A police team from Chaderghat along with the fire
department officials fought the fire for over an hour. Police said the fire officials who went inside after dousing the fire found Shahabuddin’s charred body lying on the floor between two cauldrons.
Since the restaurant is located on the main road at Malakpet-Nalgonda cross road stretch, traffic was badly affected for a few hours. A huge crowd too gathered at the hotel. The traffic police personnel reached the spot and regulated the traffic.
The fire at the restaurant located adjacent to the Mamidipudi Nagarjuna/Malakpet Area Hospital caused panic among patients who were admitted. Patients at the hospital were safely evacuated out of the hospital. The Chaderghat police are investigating the case.