Seventeen people, including eight children, were killed in a devastating fire that broke out in a three-storey building near Gulzar House Chowrasta in the Old City area of Hyderabad on Sunday.

The fire started in a jewellery shop on the ground floor of the old building located in a congested area on the road leading to the iconic Charminar, and thick plumes of smoke caused the deaths due to asphyxiation in the residential quarters on the first and second floors. All the deceased belonged to the same family.

Advertisement

Locals and firefighters said a single narrow entrance, blocked by two-wheelers and the use of inflammable materials, hampered the rescue. The family members blamed the delay in the arrival of ambulances and the lack of oxygen masks for the death of a seven-year-old child. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of those killed, while the state government announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh.

The fire started in the early morning, and the fire department was informed at 6:16 am. However, local people were the first to enter the smoke-engulfed building after hearing the cries of women urging them to save their family members. Fire services personnel rescued four people trapped on the first floor of the building. According to the fire department, there were “access constraints”, and 11 vehicles, one firefighting robot, 17 officers, and more than 70 personnel were pressed into service. It took two hours to bring the inferno under control.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated, “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. An ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000.” Announcing Rs 5 lakh compensation for the next of kin of the deceased, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu said, “The fire might have been caused by a short circuit in the shop on the ground floor, and the smoke reached the first floor and the second floor, causing the death of the 17 people.”

Local MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said, “Seventeen members of a family, who had been staying in the premises for 125 years, died in the tragic incident. Only two people from the family survived. The DG of the fire services told me most of the deaths occurred due to asphyxiation and smoke inhalation. Some people had even locked themselves in.”

“There was thick smoke all around, and we found seven people, including four children, dead in one room,” said Zahed, who was among the first to respond to the cries for help and enter the building while returning from morning prayers. Grieving families confronted GHMC mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi and MP Anil Kumar Yadav at Osmania Hospital, alleging a delay in the arrival of ambulances and a lack of oxygen masks. They said a seven-year-old boy could have survived if there were oxygen masks. The children who died were aged between seven years and one year.