Casualties feared as massive fire engulfs timber yard in southern India

Several casualties are feared as a major fire engulfed a timber yard near a residential area in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh's capital Hyderabad on Monday, a police official said.

"A number of fire engines are trying to bring the inferno under control as it could spread to the residential areas. We are trying to find out if there has been any casualties in the fire which broke out this morning and soon engulfed the Kalpana Timber Depot near the crowded Musheerabad locality," he said on condition of anonymity.

Local TV channels showed footage of the blaze and reported that the fire engines could take up to four hours to bring it under control.

Senior officials have rushed to the spot and a probe has been ordered into the incident, the official added.