Hyderabad: A fire broke out at a Suzuki car showroom in Attapur in the early hours of Tuesday, damaging several vehicles and causing panic among nearby residents.
The blaze erupted around 1.20 am at Adarsh Automobiles near Pillar No. 185. At that time, the showroom and service centre housed nearly 50 to 70 cars.
According to preliminary findings, the fire started in a scrap storage area inside the service section. Soon after, flames spread rapidly and engulfed four to five cars before firefighters arrived.
Meanwhile, residents of a nearby apartment complex noticed thick smoke and immediately alerted the fire station. As a result, fire personnel reached the spot within minutes and stopped the fire from spreading further.
Attapur showroom fire sparks probe into cause
Firefighters rushed two fire engines to the scene and brought the blaze under control, thereby averting a major mishap. At the same time, police evacuated about 90 families from the adjoining apartment block as a precaution.
Local residents alleged that showroom negligence caused the fire. They claimed staff stored waste oil and used batteries together at one location, which created a serious fire risk.
However, showroom management rejected the allegation and suggested that unknown persons may have deliberately set the fire. Therefore, they requested authorities to examine all possible angles.
Subsequently, Attapur police registered a case and launched an investigation. Officers are now examining CCTV footage from the showroom and surrounding areas to establish the exact cause of the fire.
Importantly, no casualties were reported in the incident.