Fire breaks out in Musi Riverbed near MGBS Metro Station
Hyderabad: A fire broke out on the Musi Riverbed near the MGBS Metro Station on Tuesday night, triggering concern among commuters and nearby residents. According to fire officials, the blaze originated in wild vegetation along the riverbed. Dry plant matter allowed the fire to spread rapidly across a large area.
Firefighters responded quickly and managed to bring the flames under control within 30 minutes. Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have been caused by a discarded cigarette. No injuries were reported.
Earlier the same day, a fire broke out in a footwear warehouse in Boyiguda, Chandrayangutta. The warehouse, located on the second floor of a building, caught fire around noon, causing panic among local residents. Thick smoke forced occupants and nearby families to evacuate. Fire and police teams from Chatrinaka responded promptly and extinguished the blaze using two fire engines. No casualties were reported. Authorities are investigating the cause and assessing the damage.
In a more serious incident on Sunday morning, May 18, a major fire at Gulzar Houz Chowrasta near Charminar claimed the lives of 17 people. The fire began on the ground floor of a G 2 building and quickly spread to upper floors, trapping residents.
The Telangana State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Fire Department received the alert at 6:16 a.m. Firefighters from multiple stations, including Moghalpura, High Court, Gowliguda, Salarjung, and others, responded with 12 firefighting units, including 11 vehicles, a hydraulic platform, and an advanced firefighting robot.
Seventeen people trapped on the first floor died from their injuries. The victims included elderly residents, parents, and several children. The deceased were identified as Prahlad (70), Munni (70), Rajendar Modi (65), Sumitra (60), Hamey (7), Abhishek (31), Sheetal (35), Priyansh (4), Iraaj (2), Arushi (3), Rishabh (4), Pratham (1.5), Anuyan (3), Varsha (35), Pankaj (36), Rajini (32), and Iddu (4).
Narrow access roads and dense construction in the Old City area hampered rescue efforts. Seventeen officers and 70 personnel worked for over two hours to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to nearby structures.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expressed sorrow over the tragedy and ordered a detailed investigation. He coordinated with senior fire and police officials and directed ministers and senior officers to oversee relief operations. Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and IG Nagireddy visited the site and ensured that injured persons received medical care. The Chief Minister met with families of the victims and assured them of government support. The state government announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹5 lakh to each of the bereaved families. The cause of the fire is under investigation.