Telangana fire incidents claim 53 lives; property worth ₹1,218.18 Cr damaged since Jan 2024

Hyderabad: Telangana Fire Department has received 14,190 fire, rescue, and emergency calls from Jan 2024 to June 2025.

Figures released by the Telangana State Fire Services Department reveal that 53 lives were lost, and 134 people were saved. Property worth ₹1,218.18 crore was damaged. Property worth ₹3,983.78 crore was saved due to timely firefighting interventions.

In response to the rising incidence of fires and emergencies, the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI) held a round table discussion on June 4, titled “Guarding Lives, Protecting Property: Fire Safety Starts With Us”.

The session brought together senior representatives from the Fire Services, GHMC, Electricity Department, and Factories Department to address the gaps in urban fire safety and industrial compliance.

Fire Incidents on the Rise: Alarming Numbers from 2024–2025

Between January 2024 and June 1, 2025, Telangana responded to:

• 143 serious fire incidents

• 57 major fires

• 348 medium fires

• 12,532 small fires

• 1,110 rescue and emergency calls

Most fire calls originated from residential zones, followed by commercial buildings, warehouses, industries, and road/rail vehicles. Hyderabad and its peripheries remain high-risk zones due to older infrastructure, congested layouts, and growing power demand.

Causes of Fires: Electrical Faults, Smoking, and Human Negligence

The top causes of fires in Telangana include:

• Electrical short circuits (2,150+ cases)

• Careless smoking and open flames (844 cases)

• Mechanical sparks and spontaneous combustion

• Arson, naked flames, fireworks, and cooking gas leaks

While some causes remain unknown due to post-incident destruction, officials noted a disturbing rise in avoidable fires linked to human negligence and poor infrastructure maintenance.

Lives and Assets: What’s Been Lost—and What Was Saved

In 2024, fires resulted in 24 deaths, while 29 lives have been lost in the first five months of 2025 alone. Meanwhile, fire and rescue teams have saved 134 lives since January 2024.

In financial terms:

• Property damaged in 2024: ₹906.97 crore

• Property saved in 2024: ₹2,148.60 crore

• Property damaged till June 1, 2025: ₹311.21 crore

• Property saved in the same period: ₹1,835.18 crore

These figures reflect both the increasing fire load and the capacity of the fire department to respond effectively.

Improved Capacity: Firefighting Robots, Sky Lifts, and the SDRF

Telangana’s firefighting fleet includes 160 basic water tenders, 68 multipurpose tenders, and 29 quick-response vehicles for narrow-lane access. The state has also deployed two Bronto Sky Lifts for high-rise fires and specialized Hazmat vehicles for chemical and industrial accidents.

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), established in 2024, now comprises 1,000 trained personnel from the Fire and Police departments. It operates from 137 fire stations, designated as SDRF hubs, with new equipment worth ₹35.03 crore, including boats, cameras, thermal imagers, and cutting tools.

One of the SDRF’s most complex operations occurred in February 2025 during the SLBC tunnel collapse at Domalapenta, where rescue teams navigated 13 km of tunnel through slush, water seepage, and debris to reach trapped workers.

Public Awareness: Over 15,000 Mock Drills Conducted

Between January 2024 and June 2025, the department conducted 15,707 awareness events and mock drills, targeting residential communities, schools, industries, and market areas. Officials emphasized that preparedness and evacuation planning remain critical, especially in high-density areas and ageing buildings.

Key Messages from the Round Table

Speaking at the event, Director General of Fire Services, Shri Y. Nagi Reddy, IPS, said:

“Our firefighters are saving lives daily, but safety must begin before the fire starts. Industry, housing societies, and planners must take responsibility for compliance.”

Mr. Musharraf Ali Faruqui, CMD of Telangana SPDCL, addressed the electrical origins of many fires and pushed for mandatory electrical load audits in commercial and residential buildings. Officials from GHMC and the Factories Department called for fire safety clearances to be made mandatory during building approvals, especially in older parts of Hyderabad and industrial zones.

Way Forward: From Emergency Response to Prevention Culture

Authorities agreed on the need for stricter enforcement of the Telangana Fire Services Act, 1999, and its operational rules. Proposals included:

• Third-party fire audits

• Integration of fire safety into the building permit process

• Real-time mapping of fire-prone zones

• Penalties for non-compliance

As the city heads into monsoon season, when short circuits often spike, residents and industries are urged to conduct preventive inspections of wiring and equipment.

Conclusion

The message from the FTCCI round table was clear: fire safety in Telangana must shift from reactive response to preventive, community-driven action. With lives and crores of property at stake, collective vigilance, infrastructure upgrades, and institutional accountability are no longer optional—they are urgent necessities.