Hyderabad (Telangana) [India]: Following the devastating fire incident at Gulzar Houz near Charminar that claimed 17 lives, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu on Sunday announced a ₹5 lakh ex gratia for the families of the deceased. The state government will also cover the medical expenses of the injured.
The fire broke out early Sunday morning at a building housing Krishna Pearls shop and a residential complex, trapping several people. According to the Telangana Fire Disaster Response Emergency and Civil Defence, all 17 deceased belonged to the same family.
“An ex gratia of ₹5 lakh has been announced for the families of the deceased. The government will bear the expenses of the injured,” said Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu.
“We don’t know what the real reason is—maybe a short circuit or a gas cylinder blast.”
The Deputy CM added that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is closely monitoring the situation and has directed senior officials to ensure timely rescue and medical treatment.
“As per preliminary information, the fire may have been caused by a short circuit. The fire department received information at 6:16 am and reached the spot by 6:20 am with staff, equipment, and robots. A DFO is also seriously injured and has been admitted to the hospital,” Mallu added.
Senior Congress leader Yadav confirmed that 17 members of a family were caught in the fire.
“The fire department responded immediately. CM Revanth Reddy is in touch with the family. We are monitoring the rescue operations and will visit the hospital to check on the injured.”
PM Modi Announces Support
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed deep anguish over the loss of lives and announced ₹2 lakh ex gratia to the next of kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
In a post on X, the PMO wrote:
“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 ₹2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given ₹50,000.”
Ongoing Investigation
Officials are still investigating the exact cause of the fire, though preliminary reports suggest a short circuit or gas cylinder explosion. A massive response involving fire tenders, local police, and emergency services helped contain the blaze.
This incident has sparked grief across Telangana, with calls for improved fire safety measures, especially in mixed-use residential-commercial buildings in densely populated areas like Old City.