At least 17 people were killed and several others injured early Sunday morning when a devastating fire tore through a residential building in Gulzar House, near Hyderabad’s historic Charminar, local authorities confirmed.

The blaze, which broke out around 6:00 a.m., caught most residents by surprise as they slept. Firefighters arrived at the scene by 6:16 a.m., but the flames had already engulfed the entire building, hampering rescue efforts. “The fire department tried to save people trapped inside, but the fire had spread rapidly,” said Telangana state minister Ponnam Prabhakar while addressing the media.

Preliminary investigations point to a short circuit as the likely cause of the fire, though a comprehensive probe is underway. Firefighting and rescue operations continued for hours as teams worked to extinguish the flames and recover bodies from the debris.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, announcing financial aid for the families of the deceased and the injured. In a statement, he mourned the loss of life and urged for enhanced fire safety measures in residential areas.

The tragedy has reignited concerns over lax fire safety standards in India, with experts highlighting the dangers of unregulated combustible materials and poorly maintained electrical wiring in many residential buildings. The incident underscores the pressing need for stricter enforcement of fire safety regulations, especially in densely populated urban centers like Hyderabad. (ILKHA)