A massive fire broke out at the MJ Classic Furniture store in Asif Nagar on Thursday | Photo credit: By arrangement
Residents of a residential building at Asif Nagar Junction spent Thursday (May 14, 2026) afternoon standing on the curb and watching smoke billow from a furniture showroom on the ground floor below their flats.
A fire at the MJ Classic Furniture Shop, a basement-plus-ground-plus-three-story structure, led to the evacuation and rescue of about 40 people living in nine apartments in the building. Fire officials said the incident has once again exposed the dangerous and illegal practice of running commercial establishments from residential buildings in Hyderabad.
According to the fire department, the report of the fire was received at 1.34 pm following which teams from Amberpet and Gowliguda fire stations rushed to the spot. A preliminary investigation revealed that the fire originated from an electrical short circuit in the ceiling soffit of the showroom.
The incident comes less than five months after a fire at Batchas Furniture Castle in Nampally claimed five lives, including two children, after the fire took more than 20 hours to fight.
In March, another fire at a furniture shop from makeshift shelters at Pragathi Nagar in Bachupally quickly spread to nearly 15 neighboring units and reduced them to ashes.
By the time firefighters reached Asif Nagar, parts of the building were engulfed in thick smoke. Residents, including children and the elderly, panicked and searched for a way down the staircase after noticing smoke rising from the ground floor.
Fire action at MJ Classic Furniture outlet in Asif Nagar on Thursday | Photo credit: By arrangement
Yugandhar Prasad, assistant district fire officer, Amberpet, said the owner and workers first tried to put out the flames themselves using nearly 15 fire extinguishers before informing the fire brigade. However, the fire quickly escalated due to flammable materials stored inside the showroom.
A negligence case was opened against the owner, Mohammed Shakeel, who also lived in one of the flats.
Firefighters said the timing of the incident prevented a greater tragedy. “Since it was daytime, the residents noticed the smoke early and managed to get out. At night, many people may not even realize that the fire has broken out until the rooms are filled with smoke,” said a senior fire brigade official, recalling the Gulzar Houz tragedy that claimed 17 lives.
Under the provisions of the National Building Code and Fire Safety Regulations, it is not permitted to operate furniture, joinery, foam warehouses and other highly flammable commercial activities inside residential buildings without fire safety clearances and approved occupancy permits. Furniture shops are considered high risk because they store highly flammable material such as wood, foam, paint, thinners and adhesives, which allows fire to spread quickly and produce toxic smoke.
“These facilities continue to operate in densely populated areas without objection confirmation from the fire department and proper licensing, posing a serious threat to residents,” the official said. “Continuous inspections and stricter measures against trespassers are necessary, otherwise these incidents will continue to recur.”
Published – 14 May 2026 20:23 IST
