5 Lakh Ex-Gratia To Gulzar Houz Fire Victim Families

The Telangana government has extended its full support to the families of those who lost their lives today in the tragic fire near Gulzar Houz.

Expressing grief over the death of 17 people in the incident, the government announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh to the families of each of the deceased.

Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu made the announcement while addressing the media at the Osmania mortuary.

Acting on the instructions of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, the Deputy CM rushed from Madhira in Khammam district to Osmania Hospital. Accompanied by ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and Damodar Rajanarasimha, he reviewed the situation on the ground. They visited the bereaved families at the mortuary, offering condolences and praying for strength to help them endure the loss.

They also sought details of the incident from Hyderabad Police Commissioner C V Anand, GHMC Commissioner R V Karnan and Fire Services Director General Y Nagi Reddy.

The Deputy CM later addressed the media at the mortuary gate. Calling the accident extremely unfortunate, Vikramarka said that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and the entire cabinet were deeply distressed by the tragedy. He said that upon receiving news of the incident, the CM responded immediately and coordinated over the phone with ministers and other officials, issuing instructions for swift firefighting and rescue operations, which the former himself monitored closely. He assured the media that the State government would extend all possible support to the affected families.

Hyderabad in-charge minister Ponnam Prabhakar too rushed to the site as soon as he was informed and monitored the situation personally. Health Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha reached Osmania Hospital and ensured that the injured received timely medical care, Vikramarka added.

According to preliminary investigations, the fire is believed to have been caused by a short circuit. The fire department received an alert at 6:16 am, and a fire engine from Moghalpura was dispatched at 6:17 am, reaching the site by 6:20 am and beginning firefighting operations immediately. 17 individuals trapped inside the building were rescued and shifted to hospitals. A total of 12 vehicles were involved in the rescue effort, including 11 fire engines and one firefighting robot. The operation was conducted by 17 officers and 70 personnel.

Vikramarka added that the government had also taken previous fire incidents seriously, and had discussed preventive measures multiple times in the Cabinet to avert such tragedies in the future.