Hyderabad: For Rajendar Modi and his wife, Sumitra, life never looked better as the elderly couple enjoyed the company of their children and grandchildren, who were visiting their home for summer vacation. But the vacation turned into a nightmare.
Rajendar Modi and his wife, Sumitra, were among the 17 lives who perished in the devastating fire accident at the Gulzar Houz near Charminar earlier today.
A sombre atmosphere prevailed at the Hindu Smashana Vatika (crematorium) in Puranapul on Sunday evening, as families gathered to perform the final rites of the departed souls, amid quiet prayers and tearful goodbyes.
Fifteen of the 17 victims were cremated under heavy police presence and with the Hyderabad district collector, Anudeep Durishetty, in attendance.
The mortal remains of the other two deceased were cremated in Punjagutta and Kukatpally crematoria.
All the victims were locals who have been living in different parts of the city.
Though the Modi family has its roots in Haryana, their forefathers have settled in Hyderabad 150 years ago.
Along with grief, there was anger and unanswered questions. Anger over the mishandling of the accident, unanswered questions on why the fire tenders did not arrive earlier.
As per sources, the relatives and family members of the deceased refused to sign the form for availing Rs 5 lakh compensation announced by the state government to each of the fire accident victims.
BC welfare minister Ponnam Prabhakar and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi had to face the wrath of the relatives of the deceased and the public, when they went to see the victimised families earlier during the day.
At least 4 ministers, MLAs, SPs and other higher officials met the family members of the deceased to offer their condolences.
Speaking to Siasat.com. one of the relatives of the deceased said the fire tenders were running around with no proper equipment. “Neither did they have fire extinguishers nor water. They were even unable to enter the house,” the person said.
The fire accident was one of the worst in recent times, claiming the lives of eight children, the youngest just 1.5 years old.
‘They were generous, kind hearted people’
Pasha alias Chaush, an auto driver, was among the first to respond to a distress call from the Modi family.
“I received a call from a relative of the Modi family. They live in Attapur. They informed me about the fire and asked me to check on their brother,” he told Siasat.com.
By the time Pasha reached the spot, he saw a ball of fire emanating from the building. “The fire was spreading rapidly,” he recalls.
The fire tenders from the Moghalpura fire station, located just a kilometre away, reportedly arrived only after 7 am. “By then, the flames had travelled from the top floor down to the ground. It became impossible for anyone, even the firefighters, to enter the house,” Pasha said.
When the fire tenders finally reached the spot, they quickly realised the gravity of the situation and asked for additional reinforcements. Twelve fire tenders were deployed. Eleven vehicles, 17 fire officers and 70 personnel battled the raging fire billowing from the building.
But the fire did not seem to settle down. And precious time was running out.
A scene that left a scar on Pasha was when he saw a few family members rushing downstairs, screaming for help, before turning back in a desperate attempt to save their loved ones trapped inside.
Tragically, they were overcome by the fire.
Locals also recounted how a few young men returning from morning prayers tried to enter the house but were forced back by the intense heat and smoke. Some alleged that fire personnel on the scene urged locals to go inside instead of taking the risk themselves.
Zahid, who sells bangles in Gulzar Houz, said he and his friends were passing by when a woman ran up to them and informed them about the fire accident. “We were told there were family members with children inside,” he said.
“As the main door of the building was engulfed in flames, we broke the shutter and also a wall and entered inside. As the blaze was high, we went to the first floor. We found seven people in one room and six others in another room. We were not able to save them due to the fire. Had we saved them, it would have been good,” he said.
Relatives of the deceased, along with local residents, said the fire tenders that arrived did not have enough water to control the blaze in time.
The house, located along the main road and easily accessible, had ample space for fire trucks to park. With eight rooms and windows facing the main road, residents believe the victims could have escaped had the fire been brought under control sooner.
After nearly a two-hour battle, the fire finally came under control. But it was too late.
The fire is believed to have originated at Krishna Pearls, a shop run by one of the victims, Prahlad Agarwal, on the ground floor. A short circuit in the main electrical panel reportedly led to an air conditioner explosion, which then triggered the massive blaze.
“The Modis were generous and kind-hearted, always ready to help those in need,” an emotional Pasha said.
As a mark of respect, shops in Gulzar Houz remained closed and are expected to remain shut on Monday as well.
| 
