Hyderabad fire near Charminar guts 3 shops; no casualties reported
Synopsis
A major fire ripped through the SYJ Complex near Charminar in Hyderabad on 21 May, gutting three shops and demanding eight fire engines from five stations. Casualties were narrowly averted because the blaze struck before opening hours — and the location carries grim echoes: the same area saw 17 deaths in a fire just a year ago.
Key Takeaways
A fire broke out at SYJ Complex, Pathergatti , near Charminar, Hyderabad , on 21 May 2025 .
Three shops were gutted; no casualties reported as the fire erupted before shops opened.
Eight fire engines and personnel from five fire stations battled the blaze for nearly two hours .
DCP Kiran Khare supervised operations, preventing the fire from spreading further in the densely packed complex.
The cause remains unknown; police have launched an investigation.
The incident follows a fire in the same area one year ago that killed 17 members of a pearl trader's family.
A major fire broke out at the SYJ Complex in Pathergatti, near the historic Charminar in Hyderabad, on Thursday, 21 May, gutting at least three shops and triggering a large-scale emergency response. No casualties were reported, as the blaze erupted before the shops opened for the day.
How the Fire Spread
The fire originated in a garment shop on the first floor of the SYJ Complex near Madina Crossroads and rapidly spread to adjoining shops. The complex houses several shops, banks, and diagnostic centres, raising the stakes for responders working to contain the blaze.
Eight fire engines were rushed to the site, with personnel drawn from five different fire stations mobilised to battle the flames. After nearly two hours of strenuous firefighting efforts, the blaze was brought under control.
Senior Officials on the Ground
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Charminar Zone) Kiran Khare and other senior officials personally supervised the firefighting operation. According to officials, their intervention was critical in preventing the fire from engulfing additional shops in the densely packed commercial area.
A Year After a Deadlier Blaze
The incident comes almost exactly a year after a devastating fire in the same locality claimed the lives of 17 members of a pearl trader's family — one of the deadliest such incidents in Hyderabad's recent history. The recurrence of a major fire in the same area is likely to intensify scrutiny of fire safety compliance in the Charminar precinct, which is among the most densely commercialised zones in the city.
The cause of Thursday's fire has not yet been established. Police said an investigation is underway.
Two More Fires in the Region
Separately, five shops were gutted in a fire that broke out late on Wednesday night near the Anjaneyaswamy temple in Maddimadugu, Padara mandal, in Telangana's Nagarkurnool district. A motorbike and other property were also destroyed. Police attributed the cause to a short circuit.
In a third incident, a fire erupted on the outskirts of Guntur in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on Thursday morning, when pipelines used for underground drainage works caught fire near Teachers' Colony off the Inner Ring Road. Locals said the pipelines had been lying unattended for a prolonged period due to an ongoing court case linked to drainage works, with a garbage heap accumulated nearby. Dense smoke and large flames triggered panic in the area; fire and police personnel were working to douse the blaze.
With three fire incidents across Hyderabad, Nagarkurnool, and Guntur within a 24-hour window, questions over fire safety infrastructure and urban hazard management in the twin Telugu states are set to sharpen.
Point of View
One narrowly avoiding casualties — point to a structural failure in fire safety enforcement, not bad luck. The SYJ Complex houses banks and diagnostic centres alongside garment shops in a congested heritage zone where evacuation is inherently difficult. The fact that casualties were averted only because the fire broke out before business hours is not a reassurance; it is a warning. Hyderabad's fire safety audit of its high-density commercial corridors is long overdue, and Thursday's blaze should make it unavoidable.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where exactly did the Hyderabad fire break out on 21 May 2025?
The fire broke out at the SYJ Complex in Pathergatti, near the Madina Crossroads area close to the historic Charminar in Hyderabad. It started in a garment shop on the first floor and spread to adjoining shops.
Were there any casualties in the Charminar area fire?
No casualties were reported. Officials said the fire broke out before the shops in the complex had opened for the day, which helped avert any loss of life.
How many fire engines were deployed to fight the blaze?
Eight fire engines were deployed, with firefighting personnel drawn from five different fire stations. The fire was brought under control after approximately two hours of effort.
What caused the fire at SYJ Complex near Charminar?
The cause of the fire had not been established at the time of reporting. Police said an investigation is underway to determine the origin.
Has this area seen a major fire before?
Yes. Roughly a year before this incident, a devastating fire in the same Charminar locality killed 17 members of a pearl trader's family, making Thursday's blaze the second major fire incident in the area within a year.
