Blaze Fuelled by Wood Renovations, All Victims From One Extended Family, Says Official
18 May 2025 4:27 PM IST18 May 2025 4:27 PM IST
Despite the swift response, the fire’s rapid spread, fueled by wooden materials used in recent shop renovations.
The upper side of the Krishna Pearls building, which caught fire, is pictured in Hyderabad on May 18, 2025. At least 17 people died after a fire ripped through a building in the Indian city of Hyderabad, local officials said May 18, 2025. The large blaze broke out early May 18 morning in a three-storey building which houses a jewellery store.
Hyderabad: Telangana Disaster Response and Fire Services Director General Y. Nagi Reddy stated that the fire department received the distress call at 6:16 AM and dispatched 11 fire engines by 6:17 AM. “People stuck on the second floor were rescued using ladders outside the building,” Reddy said, detailing the intense firefighting and rescue operations that involved breathing operators and oxygen masks.
Despite the swift response, the fire’s rapid spread, fueled by wooden materials used in recent shop renovations.
“The owners and shop workers informed us that they had renovated the entire shop premises with a lot of wooden material. A short circuit is one cause, but the extensive use of wood was another problem,” Reddy noted.
The victims, all from the same extended family, were reportedly in Hyderabad to spend time together during the holidays, according to relatives and family members. “They were brothers and sisters from four joint families,” Reddy added.
The fire, which started around 6:00 AM, spread rapidly due to thick smoke, causing fatal suffocation. All 17 victims died of smoke inhalation, with no burn injuries reported, according to the preliminary inquiry. Ten injured were rushed to DRDO Hospital, Osmania General Hospital, and a private facility for treatment.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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