Hyderabad, May 19 -- A blaze triggered by a suspected short circuit in a building near the iconic Charminar here on Sunday killed 17 people, including eight children, belonging to an extended family. The fire broke out at a building in Gulzar House here, police said. "All 17 who were shifted to hospitals were brought dead," a senior police said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish over the loss of lives and announced ex-gratia. A narrow staircase was the only escape route for the inmates of the building, but they could not rush out, a Fire Department official said. The building housed jewellery shops on the ground floor and people were residing in a flat above, police said adding smoke spread and people suffocated. AIMIM chief a...