Telangana HC seeks fire preparedness report after Gulzar Houz blaze
HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on February 26 sought a comprehensive report from the state government on the preparedness of fire and emergency services in Hyderabad, in the wake of the Gulzar Houz fire accident last year that claimed 17 lives.
Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) arising from a letter written by a member of a victim’s family, the court directed the government to furnish detailed information on the facilities, resources and operational status of the Fire Services Department.
Allegations of serious lapses during blaze
The petitioner alleged serious lapses in the response to the Gulzar Houz blaze, including delay in the arrival of fire engines and ambulances, and malfunctioning equipment at the scene.
The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G M Mohiuddin issued notices to the Principal Secretary, Home Department; the Director General of Disaster Management; the Director of Medical and Health Department; and the Hyderabad City Police Commissioner.
The court directed them to file detailed counters explaining the allegations and outlining the current state of disaster preparedness.
Court seeks infrastructure, equipment details
The High Court specifically asked the government to submit information on the number and working condition of fire engines available, functionality of oxygen masks and breathing apparatus, water supply arrangements and other critical firefighting infrastructure.
In the letter treated as a PIL, the petitioner sought a judicial inquiry headed by a sitting or retired judge into the alleged failure of the Fire Services Department during the Gulzar Houz incident.
It was contended that despite receiving information about the fire, emergency services did not reach the spot in time, and some fire engines did not function properly even after arriving.
The court adjourned the matter for four weeks, granting time to the respondents to place the required details and counter-affidavits on record.
