Overview

• A fire broke out early Sunday morning in a three-storey building near Charminar, killing 17 members of an extended family, including eight children.
• Preliminary investigations identified a short circuit in the ground-floor jewelry shop as the cause of the fire, with all deaths attributed to smoke inhalation.
• Rescue efforts were hampered by the building's narrow staircase, a single exit, and blocked access routes, delaying evacuation and firefighting operations.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ₹2 lakh compensation for each deceased family and ₹50,000 for the injured, while the state government pledged ₹5 lakh for each victim's family.
• A multi-departmental probe has been launched to investigate the incident, with officials urging stricter fire safety measures in Hyderabad's aging urban cores.