Tragic Fire Claims 17 Lives in Hyderabad: What Happened at Charminar?

Devastating Fire in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: A catastrophic fire erupted in a building in Hyderabad's old city on Sunday, resulting in the tragic loss of 17 lives and leaving several others injured.

The blaze ignited at Gulzar Houz, close to the iconic Charminar, claiming the lives of two children and four women among the deceased.

Firefighters managed to rescue individuals trapped inside the ground-plus-one structure, which is situated in a narrow lane within a bustling commercial area.

Thick smoke caused some occupants to lose consciousness, with approximately 30 individuals, including a pearl trader's family and employees, present at the time.

The pearl trader's establishment, Modi Pearls, occupied the ground floor, while the first floor housed his family and some workers' families.

To combat the fire, 11 fire engines were deployed, and senior police officials arrived at the scene promptly.

The victims have been identified as Rajendra Kumar (67), Sumitra (65), Munni Bai (72), Abhishek Modi (30), Arushi Jain (17), Sheetal Jain (37), Arashadi (7), and Iraj (2).

Injured individuals were transported to Osmania, Yashoda Malakpet, Apollo DRDO, and Apollo Hyderguda hospitals for treatment.

Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, visited the site and informed the media that the fire started around 6 a.m. in the building above the pearl shop.

He noted a delay in the fire services' response and indicated that initial investigations suggest a short circuit was the cause of the fire. He plans to request financial aid from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the affected families.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed his sorrow over the incident and instructed officials to take immediate action to rescue those trapped.

The Chief Minister's Office reported that he remained in contact with police and fire service officials throughout the crisis.

He also emphasized the need for the best medical care for the injured.

Charminar MLA Mir Zulfiqar Ali visited the site to confer with officials regarding the incident.

This tragedy follows a recent fire in a multi-story building in Siddi Amber Bazar, where firefighters rescued around 10 individuals.

Kishan Reddy urged for preventive measures to avert such disasters in the future, calling for regular oversight by police, fire services, GHMC, and electricity departments.