Fire in Hyderabad Building Kills 17 Including Children as Family Gets Trapped in Sleep

In a heart-wrenching incident near Hyderabad’s historic Charminar, a pre-dawn fire engulfed a multi-storey building in the Gulzar House area, killing 17 people—eight of them children—from a single extended family. The victims were caught unaware as flames tore through the structure while they slept.

The blaze is believed to have been triggered by a short circuit in the electrical mains of the ground-floor jewellery shops. Within moments, smoke and flames spread to the upper residential floors, leaving residents trapped with no way out. The only staircase—narrow and quickly consumed by smoke—became impassable.

The fire broke out around 6 AM. Witnesses described scenes of chaos and despair as neighbors tried desperately to break through walls and shutters to reach those inside. Zahid, a local shopkeeper and eyewitness, recalled how he and others entered the building, only to find lifeless bodies of children and women—some clutched together in a final embrace.

The three-storey building, home to four related families, had been occupied for generations. Many family members were visiting during the holidays, turning the tragedy into an even more painful ordeal for the community. Only two members of the family are reported to have survived.

Emergency services were alerted promptly at 6:16 AM, with fire engines reaching the scene a minute later. However, the speed and intensity of the fire, coupled with the building’s design, made rescue efforts exceedingly difficult. One firefighter was also injured during the operation.

Officials confirmed that the cause of death for most victims was asphyxiation. Rescue workers were seen carrying unconscious bodies from the building as emotional scenes unfolded at local hospitals and the Osmania Hospital mortuary.

In response to the tragedy, condolence messages and announcements of ex-gratia payments were made by top leaders. While authorities have promised a detailed investigation, questions are being raised about fire safety compliance and emergency preparedness in the densely populated old city.

This devastating incident has left an entire neighborhood in mourning, with reminders of the fire's fury lingering in the ashes and silence of what was once a home filled with generations of life.