Gulzar House fire: KTR meets affected families, calls for better fire fighting infra, emergency preparedness

Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) visited the grieving families affected by the tragic fire accident at Gulzar House and emphasised that the incident should serve as a wake-up call for improving basic emergency infrastructure.

Speaking to the media, KTR clearly stated that he had no intention to criticise anyone, but was voicing the concerns shared by the victims’ families and highlighting the gaps that need urgent attention.

Seventeen members of the Agarwal family, who had lived near Charminar for over 125 years, lost their lives in what KTR described as one of the most painful tragedies in Hyderabad’s history. Among the victims were eight children.

‘Fire engines had no water; fighters did not have protective gear’

“The victims’ families told us that fire engines arrived without water, and firefighters couldn’t enter the premises due to the lack of proper protective masks. Ambulances also arrived without oxygen cylinders or masks. Had these basic life-saving facilities been available, some lives could have been saved,” KTR said.

He noted the heart-wrenching accounts from the survivors, who said that local Hindus and Muslims rushed to help and pulled out those trapped in the blaze. “They aren’t blaming anyone. Their only request is that such a tragedy shouldn’t happen to any other family in the future,” KTR shared.

While refraining from personal criticism, KTR expressed disappointment that chief minister A Revanth Reddy, who holds both the Home and Municipal Administration portfolios, did not visit the tragedy site despite the scale of the disaster. “This is not about politics, it’s about humanity. At a time when Hyderabad witnessed one of its worst fire tragedies, the chief minister’s presence would have offered solace to grieving families and sent a strong message about the government’s commitment to public safety,” KTR stated.

Rs 25 lakh compensation to the families

KTR called on the State to immediately provide Rs 25 lakh compensation to the families of the deceased and extend support to the Agarwal family in restarting their business, which had served the city for over a century.

He reiterated that his visit was not political. “I didn’t come here to blame or politicise. But when summer arrives, the Municipal Administration Department should convene review meetings to assess fire preparedness. That did not happen, and that’s unfortunate,” he noted.

The former minister also stressed that Old City areas like Gulzar House have high population density and narrow lanes, making fire and rescue operations extremely difficult. “Our officers need regular training and mock drills. Emergency services must be equipped and functional. This is not just a demand—it’s a necessity,” he said.

Taking an indirect dig at the government’s priorities, KTR remarked, “The kind of attention and spending we see for beauty pageants should also be directed toward improving emergency response systems.”

He concluded by urging the government to respond with humanity, ensure such tragedies are prevented, and reiterated BRS’s support to the affected families. “The pain these families endured should not repeat for any citizen of Hyderabad,” KTR said.