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A view of the building which was gutted in a major fire at a cracker shop in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

HYDERABAD, Oct. 23

A HUGE fire in a cracker shop-cum-godown in the busy business area of Begum Bazaar in the old city of Hyderabad gutted three floors, including a hotel, leading to loss in property and lives.

According to the police, the fire which broke out in the wee hours around 4 a.m. at Shanti Fire Works, rapidly engulfed the upper floors of the building which housed Karthikeya Inn. While 12 persons died in the raging fire, several others suffered burns.

Among the rescued persons was Mr. Wansung, a Chinese granite businessman; two officials of an electronics firm from Mumbai.

Several staff of the hotel, Karthikeya Inn, figured in the list of dead, police said.

The police teams, which undertook rescue operations in co-ordination with the fire service personnel said the exact cause for the accident was not known and the extent of damage was being assessed.

The entire complex was filled with thick fire, soot and smoke and even the lone staircase for entry and exit was cut off.

The rescue teams broke open the windows of the hotel located on the third floor and removed AC boxes. Nearly 17 hotel occupants were rescued by another team which put up ladders on the adjoining building. Several of the victims with burn injuries were rushed to the nearby Osmania General Hospital for treatment.

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