Hyderabad Fire: Prez Murmu ‘Distressed’; Tunnel-Like Exit Blamed After 17 Die Of Suffocation

At least 17 people, including eight children, perished in a tragic fire that broke out in a decades-old building located near the iconic Charminar in Hyderabad on Sunday morning. The blaze, suspected to have been triggered by a short circuit, spread rapidly, trapping the occupants in a house with a narrow tunnel-like entrance and staircase, according to officials.

A list released by the Telangana Fire Disaster Response Emergency and Civil Defence included the names of eight children under the age of 10. The youngest victim was 1.5-year-old Prathan. The other children were identified as Hamey (7), Priyansh (4), Iraaj (2), Arushi (3), Rishabh (4), Anuyan (3), and Iddu (4).

• President Droupadi Murmu expressed deep sorrow over the incident. In a post on X, she said, “The death of several people, including women and children, in a fire accident in Hyderabad is deeply distressing. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.”
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi also conveyed his condolences. “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, announcing an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the next of kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 for those injured.
• According to PTI, the fire broke out around 6 am at a G+2 building in the Gulzar Houz area. The structure housed jewellery shops on the ground floor, with residential flats on the first and second floors. A senior police official confirmed that all 17 individuals who were rushed to hospitals were brought in dead. The victims reportedly suffocated due to smoke inhalation, and none suffered burn injuries.
• Director General of Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services, Y Nagi Reddy, told reporters that the fire call was received at 6:16 am and a fire engine was dispatched within a minute. “Prima facie, the cause of the fire appears to be a short circuit in the mains of the shopping area,” he said.

  He added that the building had only one narrow escape route — a one-metre wide staircase — which made it impossible for the occupants to flee. “There was only one entry of two metres, which is like a tunnel,” he noted, adding that four people were rescued from the second floor using ladders. The building’s structure lacked alternate exits, windows, or doors facing the road, making ventilation and external rescue challenging.

• An eyewitness, Zahid, who is in the bangles business, recounted that around 6:10 am, he was informed by a woman about the fire. “We broke the shutter and a wall to get inside. The blaze was intense. We found seven people in one room and six others in another. We could not save them. It was heartbreaking to see a woman clutching lifeless children,” he told reporters, as per PTI.
• Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock and directed officials to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured. The Chief Minister’s Office, in an official statement, said immediate directions were issued to shift the injured to hospitals and provide them with appropriate care.
• Telangana Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu visited the accident site. He told news agency ANI, “As per the preliminary information available, the fire may have been caused by a short circuit. The fire department received the information at 6.16 am and they reached the spot at 6:20 am with staff, equipment and robots. A DFO is also seriously injured and has been admitted to the hospital…The Chief Minister is constantly monitoring the situation. An ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh has been announced for the families of the deceased. The government will bear the expenses of the injured…We don’t know what the real reason is – maybe a short circuit or cylinder blast…”
• Transport Minister and Hyderabad District in-charge Ponnam Prabhakar visited the spot and told reporters that there was no conspiracy behind the incident. “We will order an inquiry into the fire accident,” he said.
• Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, who also visited the site, alleged that fire tenders arrived late. This claim was refuted by Director General Nagi Reddy.
• AIMIM Chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, who visited the site along with Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, expressed deep grief. “A painful incident happened today in Gulzar Houz. The family had been living in this area for 125 years. All 17 of the deceased were immediate family members. It is a matter of great sorrow… I offer my condolences,” he told the media.

  Owaisi further said that only two members of the family are now left and that the family had been running one of the oldest jewellery shops in the city.

• Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also mourned the loss of lives. In a post on X, he wrote, “I am deeply saddened by the devastating fire tragedy in the Charminar area of Hyderabad, which has claimed several precious lives. My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of the victims during this difficult time.” He added that he had spoken to the Chief Minister and was assured that relief measures and compensation would be provided. He also urged Congress workers to support the affected families.
• Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi extended condolences and stated, “The news of several people dying and many getting injured in the massive fire in Hyderabad, Telangana is extremely sad. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families in this difficult time and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured.”

The Osmania Hospital mortuary, where the bodies were brought for post-mortem, was gripped with scenes of heartbreak as relatives wept inconsolably. Access to the site of the tragedy has been restricted and a case has been registered by the police.