A day after a devastating fire claimed the lives of 17 members of a popular jeweller’s family in Hyderabad’s Charminar, Telangana health officials refuted allegations that the deceased did not receive timely and adequate medical care.
The fire, which broke out early on Sunday, May 18, killed several members of the Modi family — well-known pearl merchants whose shops have operated in the Gulzar Houz area since 1906. Among the dead were eight children who were visiting the family home during their summer vacation.
Relatives of the victims have alleged lapses in emergency medical response. A grieving family member told reporters, “The child would’ve survived if the ambulance had arrived quickly. There was no mask in the ambulance.”
However, Telangana’s Director of Public Health and Family Welfare, Dr B Ravinder Naik, issued a statement on May 19 denying the allegations. He stated that eight ambulances were dispatched to the fire site, each fully equipped with medical oxygen and other life-saving equipment.
Dr Naik added that the first patient was transported to Osmania General Hospital at 6.25 am., and a total of 15 victims were taken to Osmania, Care, Apollo, and Yashoda Hospitals for treatment. “Specialist doctors were mobilised immediately, and a team was constituted to handle the situation at Osmania General Hospital,” he said.
He also said that the postmortem procedures were expedited to ease the trauma of the grieving family members.
The victims include members of two branches of the Modi family. Prahlad Modi and Rajendar Modi — brothers who lived in adjacent residential units behind the family’s pearl stores.
Prahlad and Rajendar, along with their wives Munni and Sumitra, died in the fire. Prahlad’s son Pankaj, his wife Varsha, and their three children also lost their lives. His daughters, Rajini and Sheetal, died along with four of their children. Rajendar’s son Abhishek and one of his children were also among the deceased.
The children, who lived in different parts of the city, were visiting their grandparents during their school holidays when the tragedy occurred.