Hyderabad, May 19 (IANS) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao has slammed Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for not visiting the site of Sunday’s fire accident near Charminar, which claimed 17 lives.

Rama Rao, who visited the accident site on Monday and spoke to the family of the deceased, felt that some lives could have been saved with proper facilities.

Urging the state government to focus on emergency readiness, the former minister demanded compensation of Rs 25 lakh each for the families of the victims.

He took a dig at the government’s priorities. “The kind of attention and spending we see for beauty pageants should also be directed toward improving emergency response systems,” he said, referring to the ongoing Miss World event in the city.

The BRS leader expressed disappointment that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who holds both the Home and Municipal Administration portfolios, did not visit the tragedy site despite the scale of the disaster.

“This is not about politics. it’s about humanity. At a time when Hyderabad witnessed one of its worst fire tragedies, the Chief Minister’s presence would have offered solace to grieving families and sent a strong message about the government’s commitment to public safety,” KTR stated.

“Why couldn’t the CM take out an hour out of his 18-hour nonstop working schedule to listen to the first-hand account of these people?” he asked.

He also found fault with the Chief Minister for not even holding a review meeting after the biggest fire accident in the history of Hyderabad.

The former minister emphasised that the incident should serve as a wake-up call for improving basic emergency infrastructure. He stated that he had no intention to criticize anyone, but was voicing the concerns shared by the victims’ families and highlighting the gaps that need urgent attention.

Seventeen members of the Agarwal family, who had lived near Charminar for over 125 years, lost their lives in what KTR described as one of the most painful tragedies in Hyderabad’s history. Among the victims were eight children.

“The victims’ families told us that fire engines arrived without water, and firefighters couldn’t enter the premises due to the lack of proper protective masks. Ambulances too arrived without oxygen cylinders or masks. Had these basic life-saving facilities been available, some lives could have been saved,” KTR said.

He noted the heart-wrenching accounts from the survivors, who said that local Hindus and Muslims rushed to help and pulled out those trapped in the blaze. “They aren’t blaming anyone. Their only request is that such a tragedy shouldn’t happen to any other family in the future,” KTR shared.

KTR called on the state to immediately provide Rs 25 lakh compensation to the families of the deceased and extend support to the Agarwal family in restarting their business, which had served the city for over a century.

He also stated that the Municipal Administration Department should convene review meetings to assess fire preparedness during summer.

The former minister also stressed that Old City areas like Gulzar Houz have high population density and narrow lanes, making fire and rescue operations extremely difficult. “Our officers need regular training and mock drills. Emergency services must be equipped and functional. This is not just a demand—it’s a necessity,” he added.

–IANS

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