17 Dead in Hyderabad Blaze Near Charminar
A devastating fire broke out in the early hours of Monday in the congested Gulzar Houz area near Hyderabad’s iconic Charminar, killing 17 members of a jeweller’s family, including eight children. The victims, who had gathered for a weekend get-together, were asleep when the fire swept through their multi-storey building. The incident has shaken the city and triggered renewed calls for urgent improvements in fire safety measures.
Hyderabad Fire Kills Entire Family in Charminar Vicinity
The fire is believed to have originated on the ground floor of the building, which housed a perfume godown suspected to have stored flammable chemicals. Officials say a suspected short circuit may have triggered the blaze, which was rapidly exacerbated by the presence of combustible material and a suspected blast from an AC compressor.
Firefighters struggled to enter the tightly packed area and break open the iron shutters, which delayed rescue operations. The century-old building had a single stairway and no emergency exits. By the time the fire brigade managed to gain access, 17 people, including the family patriarch and eight children, had succumbed to asphyxiation or severe burns.
Charminar Tragedy Sparks Condolences and Compensation
The tragedy has triggered an outpouring of grief across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and announced ex gratia of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy announced ₹5 lakh in compensation per deceased victim’s family and has promised a probe into fire safety norms in the locality.
“A case has been registered, and a full investigation is underway. We are checking the fire safety compliance of all commercial-residential buildings in this zone,” said senior police officials at the site.
Fire Safety Norms Under the Scanner
The building lacked basic fire safety equipment, and no fire safety clearance was available with the municipal authorities, raising serious questions about enforcement of building codes in heritage areas like Charminar. Locals reported that the narrow lanes made it nearly impossible for fire tenders to reach in time.
The fire department is now planning to issue notices to several similar establishments in the area and conduct a thorough safety audit. Authorities are also pushing for stricter regulations on storage of flammable goods in mixed-use buildings.
This tragic incident serves as a grim reminder of the deadly consequences of ignored safety regulations and infrastructure neglect in urban India.
