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The Hindu
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Wooden electrical panel blamed for Gulzar Houz fire in Hyderabad that killed 17 persons
A short circuit in the electric panel board of the Ground+2 commercial-cum-residential property caused the deadly fire which killed 17 of a family, the Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services has said. Seventeen persons, including eight children aged between one and seven, were killed after a massive fire engulfed the Modi residence in Gulzar Houz, a stone's throw away from Charminar, at around 6 a.m. on Sunday. The family was a household name, known for their strong foothold in the pearls and jewellery business in Hyderabad. A day after the mishap, the Gulzar Houz circle was heavily surrounded with police barricading the area to preserve the scene. 'We are waiting for the family to finish the last rites to conduct a panchnama. The place has to be preserved intact till then,' said an officer from the South Zone of Hyderabad. About 300 metres from the incident spot, vehicles were being stopped and asked to take a detour. A convoy of vehicles, including police patrol and disaster response force vehicles, were seen parked in the Gulzar Houz circle. On Monday morning, shops in the lanes leading to Charminar from Gulzar Houz circle remained shut to show support to the Modi family. The traders gathered at Mahadev Mandir in the locality to observe silence and offered prayers to those killed in the fire. However, for the stalls, shops and other establishments surrounding the minaret, business was as usual. Shedding light on the possible cause of fire, Director-General of Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services Department Y. Nagi Reddy said the panel of the electrical board was made of wood, which could have contributed when the short circuit occurred. 'The panel is located on the ground floor near the entrance. We corroborated this with the eyewitness and the watchman, who was sleeping on the ground floor the night before,' said the officer. While locals gathered in the area continued to stress that the trigger for the fire was voltage fluctuations due to the air conditioner's compressor unit, fire officials said that angle would also be looked into during the course of investigation. An array of political leaders have been making rounds at the incident spot, all stressing on the need for regular fire audits in shops and warehouses. Earlier in the day, BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao also visited the incident spot to offer his condolences to the grieving family. He urged traders to get fire audits done in all the shops, residentials and warehouses in the area. What is a Fire Audit? Explaining the fire audit, Mr. Nagi Reddy said that it mandates that certain establishments, including high-rise buildings, hospitals, educational institutions, and industries, undergo regular fire safety measures. 'These audits are typically conducted by third-party fire safety auditors, and their reports are necessary for obtaining or renewing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for occupancy,' said Mr. Reddy. A fire audit in Telangana is a systematic evaluation of a building's fire safety measures, ensuring compliance with the Telangana Fire Services Act, 1999, and the National Building Code of India, 2016. This audit assesses the presence and functionality of fire prevention systems, such as hydrants, sprinklers, alarms, and emergency exits, to ensure they meet the required safety standards.
United News of India
18-05-2025
- United News of India
Death toll rises to 17 in Mirchowk fire tragedy; PM, CM announces relief measures
Hyderabad, May 18 (UNI) The death toll in the massive fire that broke out at Gulzar House near Charminar in the early hours of Sunday has tragically risen to 17. According to the Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services Department, the fire was reported at 6:16 AM at a G+2 building located at Gulzar House Chowrasta, Charminar. A water tender and crew from the Moghalpura fire station were the first to respond. The fire originated on the ground floor and quickly spread to the upper floors. Simultaneous firefighting, search, and rescue operations were launched. Seventeen individuals who were trapped on the first floor were rescued by fire department personnel and shifted to hospitals for treatment. To overcome access limitations and expedite the rescue, assistance was requested from additional fire stations. A total of 12 fire appliances responded to the scene. In all, 11 firefighting vehicles, one advanced fire-fighting robot, 17 fire officers, and 70 personnel were deployed in the operation. It took approximately two hours to bring the blaze under control. The Bronto Skylift hydraulic platform and fire robot played a critical role in the operation. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. The value of the property damage is yet to be assessed. The deceased were identified as Prahlad (70), Munni (70), Rajendar Modi (65), Sumitra (60), Hamey (7), Abhishek (31), Sheetal (35), Priyansh (4), Iraaj (2), Arushi (3), Rishabh (4), Pratham (1.5 years), Anuyan (3), Varsha (35), Pankaj (36) Rajini (32) and Iddu (4) Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed deep shock over the incident and ordered immediate rescue and relief measures. He directed senior officials to ensure the best medical treatment for the injured and full support for the victims' families. The CM also personally spoke to some victims and coordinated with Hyderabad in-charge Minister Ponnam Prabhakar to oversee the response. Minister Ponnam Prabhakar visited the site and gathered details from Fire Department Director General Nagi Reddy and South Zone DCP Sneha Mishra. He stated that the fire alert was received at 0616 hours and the teams responded promptly. Though many victims were critically injured by the time help arrived, the swift response helped prevent further loss of life. He assured that a full investigation would be conducted and confirmed that preliminary findings indicated it was an accident with no foul play suspected. Union Minister G Kishan Reddy also visited the site and met with the victims' families, offering his condolences and assuring them of all necessary support from both the state and central governments. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences via X (formerly Twitter), stating he was deeply anguished by the tragic loss of lives. He announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. UNI VV ARN
