A fire broke out early Tuesday, February 18, at Little Lights Home, a hostel run by Reach Educational Institutions, a charitable organisation in Gannavaram, Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, injuring six students.
While five received first aid and were discharged, Class VIII student Akhil (13) remains hospitalised, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
The hostel shelters 140 students from Classes III to X.
At 12.15 am, a bed caught fire in a top-floor room, where 35 children were asleep. The fire spread quickly due to ceiling fan airflow, engulfing the room in flames and smoke.
With only one exit, some students managed to escape, while others were trapped, screaming for help.
Locals and firefighters arrived on time, breaking windows to rescue the remaining students.
Pulapaka Akhil, a Class IV student, sustained hand injuries and was treated at multiple hospitals, including Pinnamaneni Siddhartha Hospital. Kyle Udayakiran (Class VIII) suffered a minor ear injury, while Mendem Siddhartha, Thiriveedhi Akhilesh, T Tejashwar, and N Vinay had minor wounds.
Investigations revealed serious safety lapses.
Child Welfare Committee member Chandragiri Radha Kumari stated that the hostel lacked fire safety measures and a No Objection Certificate (NOC).
The fire extinguishers were empty and missing manufacturer details.
Fire safety norms mandate two exits within seven meters, but the hostel's 15-meter-long rooms had only one exit.
Officials warned that if the fire had started near the sole exit, the tragedy could have been worse.
Fire officer Sheikh Ahmed confirmed that a mosquito coil placed too close to a coconut husk bed started the fire. He clarified that buildings over 500 square meters require a NOC, contradicting school management's claim that their ground-plus-one structure was exempt.
Police have registered a case, and investigations are ongoing.
