Secunderabad Club, established by the Britishers in 1878, destroyed in massive fire

Hyderabad: A massive fire broke out at the Secunderabad Club's main building here in the early hours of Sunday, officials said. However, there were no casualties, police said.

The fire occurred in the ground-plus two-storeyed building of the club at 3 AM and a call was received by the Fire Control Room at 03.15 AM, said a press release from Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services Department.

Visuals on social media showed the heritage building engulfed in flames.

Immediately, fire-tenders, including one from the Army, went to the spot.

The building was built mostly with wood and the blaze spread rapidly, so a multi-purpose tender was rushed to the scene, they said.

The internal wooden staircase of the building was completely destroyed, hence the fire-fighting operations were done from the external staircase, said Regional Fire Officer (Central Region- Hyderabad) V Papaiah.

He said the external staircase didn't have access to the first and second floors of the building, so it was with great difficulty the flames were doused from the windows of the first and the second floors.

However, the fire was contained after a three-hour battle and the flames were extinguished by 8:40 AM.

Cause of blaze under investigation

The cause of the blaze is under investigation and the loss of property under assessment, the senior official added.

"It was a major fire. The cause is suspected to be a short circuit," a police official said.

Secunderabad Club is one of oldest clubs in India

According to the Secunderabad Club website, the club was established by the British in 1878 and it is one of the oldest clubs in India.

Located on a 22-acre campus, the club's century-old Main Club House, carefully and aesthetically maintained, has been given heritage status by the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority.

The club boasts of dining, reading, indoor and outdoor sports with its own cricket field and many recreational facilities. It may be the only members' club to have its own dedicated Sailing Annexe, its website says.

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