Hyderabad, May 18, 2025 — At least 17 people, including eight children, lost their lives in a devastating fire that engulfed a residential-commercial building in Gulzar House, near Hyderabad’s iconic Charminar, early Sunday morning. The incident has prompted a wave of grief and swift action from both state and central leadership.
According to officials, the fire broke out between 6:00 and 6:30 AM in a structure housing Modi Pearls, a well-known pearl trading shop on the ground floor. The upper floor of the building served as a residence for the shop owner, his family, and several workers. Dense smoke from the fire rendered many unconscious, hindering escape efforts. The blaze is believed to have been caused by an electrical short circuit.
Firefighters responded promptly, deploying eight fire tenders to bring the flames under control. Despite their efforts, the Telangana Fire Disaster Response Emergency and Civil Defence Department later confirmed that 17 lives had been lost.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed profound sorrow over the tragedy and directed senior officials to ensure all necessary rescue and relief operations were conducted without delay. “The incident is deeply distressing,” said the Chief Minister’s Office in an official release, adding that instructions were given to transfer the injured to nearby hospitals and ensure they receive the best possible care.
Union Minister and Telangana BJP President G. Kishan Reddy, who visited the site along with Telangana Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and AIMIM MLA Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, described the scene as heart-wrenching. “The fire started in the pearl shop and quickly spread upstairs where the family resided. Most of the casualties occurred due to suffocation,” he said.
Minister Reddy emphasized the need for urgent upgrades to emergency infrastructure in Hyderabad. “This city is growing rapidly, yet our fire, police, municipal, and electricity departments are under-equipped. The state must invest significantly in bolstering these essential services,” he urged.
In a message of condolence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep anguish over the loss of lives and announced an ex-gratia compensation of ₹2 lakh for the families of each deceased and ₹50,000 for those injured, from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
Minister Prabhakar confirmed that a majority of residents in the building had succumbed to the fire. “The Chief Minister has personally spoken to the affected family. The government stands with them in this difficult hour and will provide full support. A comprehensive review of fire safety protocols will be undertaken to prevent such tragedies in the future,” he assured.
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the fire, while the city mourns one of its most tragic incidents in recent years.
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