Three people on the first floor lost consciousness due to suffocation. They were shifted to a hospital but were declared dead.

Fire services received the alert and dispatched three fire engines from Langar Houz, Vattinagulapally and Rajendranagar. One engine reached first, while the others arrived after a delay of 10-15 minutes.

Parking fire spreads smoke, victims die of suffocation

Officials said the absence of nearby fire stations and traffic congestion delayed rescue efforts. Fire personnel had to navigate busy junctions, which slowed response time.

City lacks required fire stations, response delayed by traffic

As per Standing Fire Advisory Council guidelines, one fire station is required for every 50,000 people or 10 sq km. With the city area expanding from 650 to 2,000 sq km, about 200 fire stations are needed.

However, within Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits, there is only one station for every 41 sq km. The city currently operates 46 fire engines.

Additional equipment includes two Bronto skylifts, three fire robots, five rescue tenders, and multipurpose and water-cum-foam tenders for industrial operations.

Fire officials said emergency vehicles should reach incident sites within six to 15 minutes, but traffic remains a major challenge.

"Faster information helps control fires quickly," Hyderabad district fire officer Venkanna said. He added that in major incidents, up to 17 vehicles are deployed, with some dousing flames while others bring water.