8 Killed After Massive Fire Erupts At Building Near Hyderabad’s Historic Charminar

SOURCE ; NEW18

Last Updated:May 18, 2025, 11:56 IST

Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said a short circuit was behind the massive blaze, including some children. PM Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the deceased.

At least eight people were killed after a massive fire erupted in a building in Gulzar House near the historic Charminar on Sunday, according to officials. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the incident and directed senior officials to take all necessary measures to rescue those trapped in the building.

The fire reportedly broke out at around 6-6:30 am on Sunday, after which the fire department found several people unconscious at the site. A senior official of a private hospital here told news agency PTI that eight people were brought dead.

The pearl trader’s shop, Modi Pearls, was on the ground floor, while his family and the families of some workers lived on the first floor. The dead include two children and four women. They have been identified as Rajendra Kumar (67), Sumitra (65), Munni Bai (72), Abhishek Modi (30), Arushi Jain (17), Sheetal Jain (37), Arashadi (7) and Iraj (2).

The injured people were immediately taken to various hospitals. Union Minister and Telangana BJP Chief G Kishan Reddy and Telangana Minister Ponnam Prabhakar reached Gulzar House, where AIMIM leader Mumtaz Ahmed Khan was also present.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep anguish over the deaths due to the tragedy and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured, according to a statement from the PMO.

“The fire broke out in a pearl shop owned by a family. Their house was on the floor above the shop. The accident happened due to a short circuit. Many people have died in the accident. Some have been injured,” G Kishan Reddy told reporters at the site.

“I am not blaming anyone, but since Hyderabad is a rapidly developing city, the police, municipal, fire, and electricity departments should be strengthened. The fire departments here do not have enough equipment,” he added, calling on the state government to allocate more money to the fire department.

Prabhakar said a majority of the people in the building had died. “The Chief Minister has spoken to the family (who were living in the building that caught fire). The state government will fully support the family. We will conduct a thorough review to ensure fire safety and avoid any such incidents in the future,” he said.

An official release from the Telangana CMO said that directions were issued to immediately shift the injured to hospitals and ensure proper medical treatment.

First Published:

May 18, 2025, 11:27 IST