A blaze triggered by a suspected short circuit in a building near the iconic Charminar here on Sunday left 17 people dead, with a majority of them being children.

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 official told PTI.

A lone, narrow staircase was the only escape route for the inmates of the building, but they could not rush out.

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.

Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services Director General Y Nagi Reddy, who inspected the spot, told reporters that the fire accident was reported between 6 am and 6.15 am.

There was a call to the fire department at 6.16 am and the fire engine was turned out at 6.17 AM, he said.

There were shops on the ground floor while the first and second floors were residential, he said.

"Prima-facie cause of the fire is short circuit in the mains in the shopping area,” Reddy said.

A total of 21 people were in the building when the fire erupted, and of them 17 were shifted to hospitals by the fire department in an unconscious state.

There was only one escape route, the staircase, which was very narrow and the inmates could not run to safety, he said.

Telangana Fire Department in a statement said the fire broke out on the Ground floor ( G+2 building) and spread to the floors above.

In a post on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish over the loss of lives due to the fire tragedy.

He announced Rs 2 lakh for the kin of those who died and Rs 50,000 to the injured.

“Deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire tragedy in Hyderabad, Telangana. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM,” the post said.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the incident and directed senior officials to take all necessary measures to rescue those trapped in the building.

Earlier, a fire department official said they received a call at around 6.16 am and rushed to the spot. Several people were found unconscious and shifted to various hospitals.

Addressing reporters after visiting the spot, Transport and Hyderabad District in-charge Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said a short circuit caused the fire.

The Minister said, "We will order an inquiry into the fire accident. There is no conspiracy angle in it..." Four families related to one another were residing in the building and many of them came to spend their vacation, he added.

Access to the site has been restricted, police said. A case has been registered.

Union Minister G Kishan Reddy also visited the spot. He alleged that he was informed that fire tenders arrived late.

The allegation was dismissed by Nagi Reddy.

An official release from the CMO said directions were issued to immediately shift the injured to hospitals and ensure proper medical treatment.

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