An operation in Bandlaguda Jagir demonstrated the use of advanced technology in managing urban fires in Telangana on April 7. A fire broke out at a cloth store in a G+3 floor building opposite Ammavari Temple, spreading across the ground and two upper floors.
Firefighters responded with four fire engines and a robot, successfully controlling the blaze after nearly three hours, with no injuries or casualties reported. Assistant District Fire Officer, Madhapur, Govardhan Reddy, stated: “We received a call to the control room at 2:58 in the morning. Immediately, about four vehicles, along with a robot, went there and controlled the fire after firefighting for almost three hours. Fire has been doused completely. There are no injuries and no casualties.”
The use of the robot was notable due to the dangerous conditions posed by backdrafts and thick, toxic smoke produced by synthetic fabrics stored in the cloth shop. The remotely controlled unit, dispatched from the Madhapur fire station, was able to enter high-heat zones and tight spaces to combat the flames at their source without risking structural collapse affecting human firefighters.
Madhapur fire station serves as a technology-focused hub for the Hyderabad and Rangareddy area, pioneering the integration of robots in tactical firefighting operations.