Devastating Fire Near Hyderabad’s Charminar Claims 17 Lives, Including Young Children

A catastrophic fire erupted in a residential building near the iconic Charminar in Hyderabad’s Gulzar Houz area early this morning, killing 17 people, including eight children, with the youngest victim just one year old. The blaze, which started around 6:16 AM, is suspected to have been triggered by a short circuit in a ground-floor jewellry store, rapidly spreading to the upper floors of the multi-story structure.

The victims, part of four joint families residing in the building, included five women and four senior citizens. Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes, with one survivor recalling a mother clutching her children tightly as flames engulfed their home. Narrow entrances and the building’s congested layout hindered rescue efforts, contributing to the high death toll. Over 11 fire tenders rushed to the scene, but the intensity of the blaze made it challenging to access trapped residents.

Telangana’s fire department confirmed the identities of the victims, noting that all 17 individuals transported to hospitals were declared dead on arrival. Several others sustained injuries and are receiving treatment. The tragedy, one of Hyderabad’s worst fire disasters in recent years, has sparked outrage over lax safety regulations in densely populated commercial hubs like Gulzar Houz, where shops and residences coexist. “There was a fire incident in Krishna Pearls shop and the residential complex in Gulzar House area. The Fire department received the call at 6:16 am and dispatched 11 fire engines with sufficient staff by 6:17 am... The fire department used breathing operators and oxygen masks to rescue the people... The information is that 17 people could not survive... The preliminary examination shows that the cause was a short circuit,” Telangana Disaster Response and Fire Services DG Y Nagi Reddy said. He further added that “the cause of death of all the people was smoke inhalation, nobody had burn injuries,"

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief, announcing an exgratia payment of Rs 2 lakh for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy directed authorities to provide immediate support to affected families, while local leaders, including AIMIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi, visited the site and met with the survivors. Businesses in the area shuttered in solidarity. Investigations are underway to confirm the cause and assess compliance with fire safety norms. The incident has reignited calls for stricter building regulations and regular safety audits in Hyderabad’s Old City. 

"The incident that happened, 17 persons of a family died, this family has been residing here for 125 years, now only two members of the family are left, I want to give my condolence. I believe that after the fire service report comes, what will be the dos and don'ts, I was informed that most of the deaths did not happen due to burn injuries, but due to suffocation or fumes, let the report come, it is very painful”, said Asaduddin Owaisi.