Hyderabad, India — May 19, 2025 — A three-story century-old building near Charminar monument in Hyderabad caught fire early Sunday morning, claiming 17 lives of one family, including eight children. They had gathered at their ancestral home in Gulzar Houz for a weekend reunion when tragedy struck – according to The Times of India (+13) and The Independent (+3)
At 6:16 a.m. on Sunday morning, fire broke out at an office housing a jewelry store on the ground floor before rapidly spreading upwards through residential floors above. Preliminary investigations suggest a short circuit as being the likely source. Arab News. +4 | The Independent +4.
Emergency responders were presented with significant challenges due to the building’s narrow staircase and single exit, both quickly rendered inaccessible by flames. Of those in the building at that time, only four managed to escape alive; 17 individuals were later found unconscious before succumbing to their injuries in various hospitals. As reported by Tasnim News +4 and AP News +4, only four managed to make their escape, leaving 17 victims still unconscious before succumbing to injuries suffered in different hospitals.
The Independent The victims included three generations ranging from an elder aged 70 years old to an infant who is one-and-a-half years old, tragically impacting local community as a whole and raising concerns over fire safety in heritage buildings. Arab News + 4 Times of India +4
AP News.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences, stating he was deeply anguished over the loss of lives. He announced financial compensation of Rs200,000 (approximately $2,400). Tasnim News +4 / Arab News /AP News = 4, Wikipedia (Wikipedia+9) = 9 and nonStop Local Tri-Cities/Yakima were all involved with providing nonStop coverage throughout this tragedy.
+9 This incident highlights the need for strict fire safety measures in older buildings that do not conform to modern building codes. Authorities have initiated an in-depth investigation to ascertain what caused the fire, as well as any breaches in safety protocols that may have contributed to its spread.
As the community mourns this tragic event, this tragic reminder should serve as a stark warning about adhering to safety regulations in order to avoid such catastrophic incidents in future.
(Is there Pakistan blowing the fire)