In a heartbreaking incident near Hyderabad’s historic Charminar, a fire that broke out early Sunday morning claimed the lives of 17 people, with several victims reported to be children.
The tragedy occurred in a building located in Gulzar House, where a suspected electrical short circuit is believed to have triggered the blaze.
According to police, the fire erupted in a three-storey (G+2) building housing jewellery shops on the ground floor and residential flats above. A senior police official confirmed to PTI that all 17 victims brought to hospitals were declared dead on arrival.
The structure had a single, narrow staircase—its only escape route—which made evacuation difficult. Most of the occupants, overwhelmed by thick smoke and unable to escape quickly, succumbed to suffocation.
Y Nagi Reddy, Director General of the Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services, said the fire was reported between 6:00 and 6:15 AM, with an emergency call received at 6:16 AM. A fire engine was dispatched immediately at 6:17 AM.
At the time of the incident, 21 people were inside the building. The fire quickly spread from the ground floor to the upper residential levels. Reddy confirmed that 17 individuals were found unconscious and shifted to nearby hospitals, where they were later declared dead.
He said initial investigations point to a short circuit in the electrical mains on the ground floor as the likely cause of the fire.
The fire department issued a statement confirming that the blaze originated on the ground floor and rapidly spread to the upper levels of the building, intensifying the tragedy.
Rescue operations were hampered by the lack of alternate exits and the narrowness of the building’s only staircase.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow over the incident in a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). He announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for those injured, from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
“Deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire tragedy in Hyderabad, Telangana. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon,” the post read.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also expressed deep shock and directed officials to take all necessary steps to rescue any survivors and provide immediate medical care to the injured.
Transport Minister and Hyderabad District In-Charge Ponnam Prabhakar visited the site and confirmed that a short circuit was the cause of the fire. He ruled out any conspiracy behind the incident and said that an inquiry would be ordered.
According to him, four related families, including visitors on vacation, were living in the building.
Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, who also inspected the scene, alleged delays in the arrival of fire services. However, this claim was strongly refuted by Y Nagi Reddy, who reiterated that the fire tenders were dispatched within a minute of receiving the emergency call.
The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) later issued a statement confirming that orders had been given to transfer the injured to hospitals immediately and ensure proper medical treatment.
Access to the site has been restricted as authorities conduct investigations. A case has been registered, and an official probe into the incident is underway.