Past Survivors Recall Horror, Govt’s Silence

Hyderabad:People who survived fire accidents in the past recalled painful memories of their tragedies after watching visuals of the Gulzar Houz fire accident, which reminded them of how narrowly they escaped death. Many survivors said they did not receive any compensation from the government despite promises.

Among them was Manikyala Padma. A fire at a building at the timber depot in Sainagar Colony, Kushaiguda, on April 18, 2024, had spread to her home. “We did not understand what was happening when flames entered our home on the second floor. My husband and son tied our clothes and climbed down. I immediately ran to the first floor and jumped,” she said. Padma suffered injuries to her face and right arm and was in the ICU for a week.

Her family did not receive any help from the government, which had promised to cover hospital expenses. “Watching the Gulzar Houz fire felt like reliving our nightmare. If we had delayed five minutes, we would have been trapped. The incident still haunts me. By the time the fire department arrived, the damage was already done and people had lost their lives. Even though we still live in the same colony, I never go near the house,” she said.

Raghav Nadda, who survived a fire in Red Hills on November 12, 2023, said, “I was 15 years old and we were on the first floor. We escaped through the stairs.” His family later shifted out of the house. The fire had broken out from chemicals stored on the ground floor. “Watching the Gulzar Houz incident gave me a shock. Even though I was too young when our mishap occurred, it reminded me of our tragedy,” he said.

Several survivors said they did not receive any compensation from the government for their losses. Many shifted to other places to recover from the trauma and escape painful memories.

Other survivors of the Red Hills mishap shared similar experiences. “We were lucky to survive. I got out through a window with the help of a fire department ladder from the first floor, and my family—six adults and six children—escaped using the stairs with the help of fire officers,” said Mirza Yousuf Baig, 75. “After the incident, we stayed at my elder son's place and later moved out completely. Our vehicle and the house interiors were damaged. The Gulzar Houz fire terrified me again—no one should have to go through such an experience.”

Anjamma Gurumurthy, caretaker of the apartment, said everyone had left the building in fear after the incident. “The fire started on the ground floor from chemical drums. We alerted everyone immediately and escaped. But the smoke spread to the upper floors, leading to the deaths,” she recollected. After the incident, every floor was equipped with fire extinguishers, she added.

Khaleed, who lost eight members of his uncle’s family, said, “We never got any help from the government even after nearly two years. Every time there's an incident like Gulzar Houz, they announce compensation—only for the moment—and later make people run after them. We suffered a huge loss of up to Rs 1.5 crore, including valuable belongings.”