A minor fire near the Khairatabad Metro Station in Hyderabad on Friday night, January 31, briefly caused panic among commuters and passersby. The fire broke out at 9:48 pm when the metro was operational. According to Hyderabad District Fire Officer Thagaram Venkanna, the incident was caused by a burning cigarette stub carelessly thrown into nearby rubbish, which ignited a tree below the metro station staircase. While the flames spread quickly, no damage to life or property was reported. The fire department responded swiftly, bringing the situation under control before it escalated further.

This incident comes just weeks after a major fire near the Malakpet Metro Station on December 6, where several parked bikes caught fire, sending thick smoke into the air. The incident disrupted traffic and alarmed metro passengers. Investigations later revealed that the fire was started by a mentally unstable man, identified as Zaker, who was arrested on December 8. According to reports, he deliberately set fire to a bike using a matchbox, which then spread to other vehicles, destroying five bikes in total. Surveillance footage helped police track down and apprehend the suspect.

The recent fire incidents near metro stations have raised safety concerns among citizens. While authorities have reassured the public that these were isolated incidents, they urge people to be cautious and avoid careless actions like discarding burning cigarette stubs in public places. The Hyderabad Metro Rail authorities are also reviewing fire safety measures around metro stations to prevent similar incidents in the future. Fortunately, in both cases, the timely response from the fire department prevented any major casualties or structural damage.