In a tragic incident, a 10-year-old girl lost her life in Telangana's Khammam district after a fire broke out in her room at the SC Welfare Hostel in NSP Quarters on Monday. The deceased was identified as Spandana, a native of Suryapet district, and doctors suspect that she died of asphyxiation and burn injuries.
Two other girls who were in the room at the time of the incident managed to escape. As thick smoke spread through the room, firefighters reached the spot and managed to bring the flames under control. They recovered Spandana’s body after this.
“We were asleep and woke up with the sound of the exploding tubelight. I jumped from my cot and noticed the flames spreading,” Pravallika, one of the rescued students, was quoted as saying.
Speaking to reporters, Hostel warden V Vinoda said that she had left the hostel at 9 pm and received a phone call about the fire at 11:50 pm, following which she alerted higher authorities and rushed to the spot.
The authorities also said that while they generally housed around 100 girls or more, only a few inmates were in the hostel on Sunday night due to a 3-day holiday. They suspect a short circuit to be the reason for the fire.
Student unions staged a protest outside the hostel on Monday, even as parents of the students alleged poor maintenance to be the reason for the incident.
Meanwhile, Khammam Commissioner of Police Tafseer Iqbal visited the hostel and said that an ACP-rank officer would probe the incident and submit a report.
Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Minister Koppula Eeshwar also took note of the incident and has directed Deputy Director of Social Welfare, Satyanarayana, to submit a report at the earliest.
Alternate arrangements are also being made for the girls to stay, till the probe is completed.