Goa, May 19 -- In the early hours of Sunday, residents of the densely populated Charminar area in Hyderabad's Old City woke up to the overwhelming smell of smoke. A fire had broken out in a three-story building in the Gulzar Houz area, claiming the lives of 17 people, including eight children from a single family.

16 a.m., with the first emergency call placed to the fire department promptly. However, eyewitnesses claimed that the fire must have been raging for some time before it became apparent to those outside the building. Local resident Zubhan, a small retailer, recalled the eerie silence as firefighters searched for survivors. "There were no calls for help, only the crackling of flames," he said, describing the haunting scene.

Resi...