A state government-owned helicopter meant for the use of the Chief Minister and six training aircraft were destroyed in the blaze.
But, as many as 100 IAF personnel towed away two Avro aircraft which were parked in the IAF hangar, six feet away from A P Aviation Academy's hangar which bore the brunt of the fire, Station Commander Captain E K Prasad of IAF said in a statement today.
The fire is estimated to have caused damage of Rs 100 crore.
Prasad said the involvement of the IAF personnel of Air Force Station, Begumpet helped in controlling the fire and preventing it from spreading to IAF hangar and the office complex of AP Aviation Academy.
The fire was noticed by a guard on duty at 2315 hours, who informed an IAF officer at Air Force Station, who in turn alerted the Air Force as well as the civil fire services.
IAF personnel staying close by rushed to the sight after being alerted. The first fire tenders to arrive were from Air Force Station Begumpet.
The fire had by then spread to the entire hangar and it was impossible to enter it, according to Prasad.
Ten fire tenders and about 100 personnel of Air Force Station Begumpet, Air Force Station Hakimpet and the civil fire personnel fought the fire till around 0245 hours in the early morning before it was brought under control to some extent. It was morning when it was doused completely.
