A devastating fire broke out early Sunday morning in a commercial-cum-residential building near the historic Charminar, killing at least 16 people and injuring 10 others. The tragedy occurred at Gulzar House in the Old City area of Hyderabad, close to one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
According to police officials, the fire erupted around 6:30 am on the ground floor of a three-storey building that housed jewellery shops and residential units. While no one was present in the shops at the time, several families were asleep on the upper floors. The fire spread rapidly, reportedly due to the explosion of an air conditioner compressor, trapping residents inside.
Rescue operations were launched immediately, with fire tenders, disaster response teams from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), and police rushing to the site. Thick smoke and the intensity of the blaze severely hampered rescue efforts. Victims were transported to hospitals including Osmania General Hospital, Yashoda Hospital in Malakpet, and DRDO Apollo Hospital.
Authorities have confirmed the identities of several victims, including Rajendra Kumar (67), Abhishek Modi (30), Sumitra (65), Munnibai (72), Arushi Jain (17), Sheetal Jain (37), and several children including Iraj (2) and Harshali Gupta (7). Some identities and ages are yet to be confirmed.
Police suspect a short circuit may have triggered the fire, but a formal investigation is ongoing to determine the exact cause.
Leaders React, Compensation Announced
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief over the loss of lives. “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,” he posted on X. The Prime Minister also announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the families of each deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured from the PM National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also expressed sorrow and termed the incident “heartbreaking.” He directed officials to ensure top medical care for the injured and to support the families of the victims. State Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar visited the site to oversee rescue and relief operations.
Union Minister for Coal and Telangana BJP President G. Kishan Reddy visited the site and criticized what he termed a delayed response by firefighting teams, echoing concerns raised by some families of the victims. He called for modernization of fire services, better training, and advanced equipment for emergency personnel.
The fire has left the historic Gulzar House area shrouded in grief and smoke, raising concerns about fire safety measures in densely populated commercial-residential zones of Hyderabad.
Sources By Agencies
