17 dead in massive fire near Hyderabad's Charminar, PM announces ex-gratia
Hyderabad: At least 17 people have died after a massive fire broke out in a building near Hyderabad’s iconic Charminar early Saturday morning, NDTV reported. blaze broke out in a commercial-cum-residential building located in the densely populated Gulzar House area, which is known for its row of jewellery shops.
Preliminary reports suggest that a short circuit may have triggered the fire, though the exact cause is yet to be confirmed. According to fire department officials, they received an emergency call at around 6:30 am and immediately dispatched 11 fire engines to the site. Several individuals sustained injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals.
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, who visited the site, confirmed that the victims included members of a family living above their shop. "Such incidents are extremely tragic. Though I am not blaming anyone, there is a need to strengthen our police, municipal, fire, and electricity departments. I have been informed that firefighters initially lacked proper equipment. I will speak to the Prime Minister and request central support for the affected families," he said.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed deep shock over the tragedy. He directed officials to intensify relief measures and ensure that the injured receive the best possible treatment. State Minister Ponnam Prabhakar added that all the bodies have been recovered and shifted to hospitals, and the government will soon release further details.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) also issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter), expressing grief. "Deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire tragedy in Hyderabad, Telangana. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon," the statement read. The PMO announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs. 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased, and Rs. 50,000 for the injured.
Rescue operations have since concluded, and an investigation into the incident is underway.
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4 workers die after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad
Dhanbad (Jharkhand) (PTI): At least four workers died after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Saturday, a police official said.
The incident took place at Moonidih coal washery in the command area of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL).
"Bodies of all four workers were dug out of debris during a rescue operation," Putki police station in-charge Waqar Hussain told PTI.
The incident took place when coal slurry was being loaded into trucks by workers, during which a large chunk of slurry fell and trapped several workers underneath, officials said.
The deceased have been identified as Manik Bauri, Dinesh Bauri, Deepak Bauri, and Hemlal Gope.
Meanwhile, the family members of the deceased and local villagers placed the bodies in front of the washery gate and began a protest.
They demanded compensation, jobs for dependents and action against those responsible for the incident.
Police and administration officials are trying to pacify the protesters, an official said.
