Tragic Fire at Gulzar House Near Charminar Claims 16 Lives, Including Women and Children
Hyderabad, May 18, 2025: A devastating fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday at Gulzar House, located near the iconic Charminar in Hyderabad’s Old City, claiming the lives of 16 people. The blaze, which erupted around 6:00 AM, engulfed the first floor of the building, filling it with thick smoke that led to suffocation and fatalities. Authorities suspect a short circuit as the cause of the fire, with the death toll feared to rise further.
Among the deceased are four women and two children, identified as Rajendra Kumar (67), Abhishek Modi (30), Sumitra (65), Munni Bai (72), Arushi Jain (17), Sheetal Jain (37), Iraaj (2), Harshali Gupta (7), Rajani Agarwal, Anuya Modi, Pankaj Modi, Varsha Modi, Iddikki Modi, Rishabh, Pratham Agarwal, and Pranshu Agarwal. The victims succumbed primarily due to smoke inhalation, as the building’s narrow entryway and lack of fire exits exacerbated the tragedy.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed profound grief over the incident and took immediate action to address the crisis. He inquired about the details of the fire from officials and directed Minister Ponnam Prabhakar to visit the site to oversee rescue and relief operations. The Chief Minister issued orders to ensure the best medical care for the injured and assured full support to the affected families. He also instructed senior officials to take all necessary measures to rescue those trapped and to coordinate with the police and fire department for ongoing efforts.
Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy visited the accident site and interacted with the grieving families to gather details about the incident. He emphasized the need for improved fire safety measures in Hyderabad, a rapidly developing city, and assured central government assistance for the victims’ families. Reddy highlighted the lack of adequate firefighting equipment and urged the state government to conduct fire safety audits to prevent such tragedies in the future.
The fire department deployed 11 fire tenders to the scene by 6:17 AM, with 70 firefighters working for two hours to bring the blaze under control. Despite their swift response, the building’s single narrow staircase and tunnel-like entryway hindered rescue operations, contributing to the high toll. The Telangana Fire Disaster Response and Civil Defence confirmed that the fire originated at the Srikrishna Pearls shop on the ground floor and rapidly spread to the upper residential floors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep anguish over the tragedy, announcing an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. President Droupadi Murmu and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also condoled the loss of lives, praying for the speedy recovery of those hospitalized.
Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹5 lakh for the families of each deceased victim. The injured have been shifted to Osmania General Hospital, DRDO Hospital, and private healthcare facilities, where medical teams are providing critical care.
The incident has sent shockwaves through Hyderabad, with local leaders, including AIMیین Chief Asaduddin Owaisi, expressing sorrow over the loss of 17 members of a single family that had resided in the area for 125 years. Businesses in the vicinity shut down in solidarity with the affected family, as investigations continue to ascertain the exact cause of the fire.
Authorities have registered a case, and access to the site has been restricted as police and fire officials work to prevent further incidents. The tragedy underscores the urgent need for enhanced fire safety measures in Hyderabad’s densely populated Old City.
With the government’s commitment to support the victims and prevent future tragedies, Hyderabad mourns the loss of lives in one of its worst fire accidents in recent years.
