IN THE AFTERMATH: Partially burnt carpets being removed from the western gallery's auditorium after a fire broke out at Salarjung Museum in Hyderabad on Friday. - PHOTO: P.V.Sivakumar

HYDERABAD : A fire broke out in the auditorium of the Nawab Mir Turab Bhavan (western block) of the Salar Jung Museum here on Friday morning. Fortunately, none of the antiques and priceless exhibits were damaged.

The fire was doused before it could spread further, thus saving precious Nizam's jewellery on exhibition in the adjacent eastern block. Galleries of porcelain, glass, antique varieties of clocks and French collection at the museum located on the first floor of the western block too escaped from flames.

Cloud of smoke

Four fire tenders were deployed to control the fire after the Fire Services Department was alerted at 7.30 a.m.

"It took about two hours to douse the flames because of the smoke. In fact, there was more smoke than fire because of the seats, carpets and a few carton boxes in the auditorium, preventing us from pinpointing the source of the fire," District Fire Officer J. Venkat Narayana Rao said.

However, its mysterious as to why the museum authorities were late in calling the fire tenders. According to Museum Director A. Nagendra Reddy, smoke was seen emanating from the windows of the western block at 6.15 a.m.

He claims the CISF personnel alerted the Fire Department immediately, while the latter say they were alerted only at 7.30 a.m.

Fire officials said the auditorium was not equipped with a fire alarm system that could have reduced the damage, which is pegged at Rs.15 lakhs on initial estimates.

The swanky interiors of the auditorium including seats, carpets, air-conditioners, acoustics, lighting systems and the stage were gutted in the fire.

Ironically, except for the auditorium, all the other galleries are well-equipped with latest smoke -detecting alarm systems, CCTVs for monitoring and even fire hydrants. While museum authorities believe a `short circuit' could have sparked off the fire, Home Minister K. Jana Reddy, who visited the spot, said the reason could be ascertained only after due inquiry.

Meanwhile, the Salar Jung Museum director said Central Industrial Security Force personnel, who handle the security at the museum and their families were using the stage for rehearsals of cultural programmes slated for November 7 to commemorate the 121st birthday of Salar Jung.

The CISF personnel, who refused to comment on the issue, earlier prevented the media from entering the museum premises till after 9.30 a.m.

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