Hyderabad:
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Monday directed the State Disaster Response and Fire Services Department to conduct an inquiry into the Manikonda fire incident, which claimed six lives including that of a new-born baby.
The Chief Minister spoke to the state Home Minister Sabita Reddy, who visited the spot and obtained details about Sunday night's fire incident.
As reports indicated that the apartment complex and the adjacent godown did not have requisite permissions from the municipal department, and the fire tenders could not reach the spot in time, the Chief Minister ordered an inquiry, a statement from the CMO said.
Asking the authorities to initiate action against those responsible, Kiran Kumar also extended his sympathies to the bereaved families.
Meanwhile, police have registered a case against Vijay Kumar, owner of the make-shift godown shed where the fire started.
The shed was used for storing film-shooting equipment, and the plastic material dumped near the film and TV serial shooting sets caught fire first, according to the police.
Police have registered case under section 304A (causing death by negligence), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and section 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) of IPC against Vijay, though he has not yet been arrested.
The fire, suspected to be caused by a short-circuit, engulfed the first three-floors of the five-storey apartment even as fire department personnel rescued 15 persons.
The deceased were identified as M Venkat Subaiah (59), P Srihari Rao (61), Bhakar Rao (50), Aruna (55) and A Mahalakshmi (88), besides the baby boy, Cyberabad Police Commissioner Ch Dwarka Tirumala Rao said.
Five injured persons are undergoing treatment.