Gulzar Houz fire leaves system exposed
Hyderabad:The Gulzar Houz inferno that claimed the lives of 17 members of a pearl merchant family not only cast a pall over the city but also laid bare the shocking gaps in Hyderabad’s emergency and safety infrastructure. The State government has since ordered the formation of a six-member committee to investigate the fire incident.
The area is densely populated with commercial and residential buildings. According to Deccan Chronicle's findings, fire accidents are occurring almost daily. Records from the Moghalpura fire station show that its personnel attend fire calls every day. On Tuesday, for instance, a fire broke out at 3:03 pm at a footwear workshop on the top floor of a building near Kandikal Gate. Firefighters managed to douse the flames without any casualties.
The Gulzar Houz fire occurred early morning of May 18. Just two days earlier, on Thursday at 4:41 am, a transformer near the Gulzar Houz fountain exploded, sparking a blaze. A police constable at the picket alerted the fire department, and the fire was brought under control. Yet another fire was reported on May 16 at 12:30 pm near the Gol Masjid.
In the Modi Pearls incident, eyewitnesses told media outlets and shared on social media that there was a significant delay in the arrival of the fire tender. Though the Moghalpura fire station is just three minutes away, the fire vehicle (TS 07 6737) reportedly arrived around 40 minutes after the fire began.
A constable stationed at the nearby picket confirmed that he first called the fire department, then the control room and finally the Charminar police station. Locals and police personnel attempted rescue efforts before the fire tender reached. Multiple eyewitnesses reiterated that the fire tender arrived late.
The surrounding area is crisscrossed with tangled overhead wires, hanging dangerously from electric poles. Many of the fuse boxes are in a dilapidated state, posing serious hazards. The electricity department must take immediate steps to address these risks before another disaster strikes.
On Tuesday evening, shops owned by the family, including Modi Pearls, were opened. Staff retrieved leftover jewellery and tools from the damaged premises. Experts argue that the government must urgently overhaul safety infrastructure in this high-footfall area, which draws tourists from across the world. They recommend that water sources to fight fires be made available every few metres and that every shop be mandated to keep a fire extinguisher cylinder.
The long-neglected fire safety system also needs serious strengthening. The department must recruit more personnel and upgrade its outdated equipment. During the Gulzar Houz operation, firefighters were seen using old-fashioned crowbars—a fact captured in several videos.
The Moghalpura fire station, despite its critical location, has only eight firemen and two driver-operators. It operates with one large water tender, one mini water tender and one mist bullet bike. Each 24-hour shift is manned by four firemen, one driver-operator and one leading fireman. Ironically, when two fire tenders are needed at once, a single driver-operator can't handle both. This raises questions about how weekly offs and holiday compensations are managed.
Manual entries in the station’s general diary also remain a concern. Officials continue to log reports by hand, instead of using a computerised system that would ensure accuracy and prevent manipulation during investigations.
